JUPITER
by deetatarant
Summary: Ianto finds an orange cat in his bin...Jack has competition on his hands.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This could end up going anywhere...bear... bare...with me. :-).**

**JUPITER...**

Tosh found Ianto looking out over the bay by the Norwegian Church. It had been one of those days when things had gone badly wrong. Not aliens invading the world kind of things, no, just little things like the printer packing up, the coffee machine deciding it wasn't to going to work and the two hours spent trying to catch a wounded Myfanwy so that Owen could sedate her and treat her injury. Somewhere along the line Ianto had finally lost his patience with the day and rather than yelling at his colleagues he had quietly slipped from the Hub at lunch time to escape his own heightening stress levels. In reality it was about none of those things and it was about all of them. Aliens would have been a welcome relief from his darkening mood.

"Want to talk?"

Ianto glanced at her for a moment and was taken aback by how beautiful she looked when windswept and breathless. He offered up a smile, grateful for her concern and the fact that she was battling miserable weather to find him here. He shrugged.

"Just a crappy day, you know the little things that keep going wrong."

Tosh knew full well, her computers had been playing up for days after the new upgrades and she was still debugging the system.

"It wouldn't have bothered you before..."

"Jack running off? No, I guess not. Sorry Tosh things just got to me today."

"It's alright, you're allowed, I mean we've all had our moments recently except you, so I think you are entitled to a mini breakdown." She brushed her straggling hair behind her ear and the wind immediately whipped it free again.

"We all miss him."

Ianto dug into his coat pocket and pulled out a packet of Marlboro Lights he offered it to Tosh. "Want one?"

Her eyes widened. "You smoke?"

He stuck a cigarette between his lips and lit it with a silver coloured lighter. "Only since Brecon, didn't want to start drinking and I needed something. Jack convinced me to stop... for a while anyway." He took a deep drag and blew the smoke away from Tosh. "It helps me stay calm on days like this."

"I do sudoko, the numbers, they calm me. Maths is so pure, and unemotional, you can just lose yourself in it."

Ianto hitched a smile. "I read poetry. That was my main thing at university, the Romantic poets but I've been reading TS Elliot lately, he seems to suit my current mood."

"Which is?"

"The Wasteland, it's dark, bitter and extraordinarily beautiful at the same time. I love use of the English language, but right now I just needed a fag."

Tosh looked out over the grey churning water of the bay. "He'll come back, you know."

"It really doesn't matter whether he does or not, we still have to do our jobs and it seems to me we are better than we were before. Gwen is doing a good job of getting us together, I'd never have believed her capable, but she has risen to the occasion with aplomb."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

Ianto merely inhaled more smoke and grinned. "I think we should have Chinese for lunch."

"There's a surprise, all these take outs can't be good for us."

"Owen nearly murdered me where I stood when I suggested salads and fresh fruit, and he's the one responsible for our health and welfare."

Tosh chuckled. "We are bad, coffee, biscuits, take outs, pizza, we'll all die from a Torchwood diet, not death by heroism saving the world."

"Ianto Jones born 19th August 1983, died of myocardiac infarction due to fatty arteries aged 26... on examination the body was discovered to be made of pizza dough, diced chicken with sweet n sour sauce for blood."

"With ahead full of egg fried rice and a very nice pair of prawn balls..."

They laughed and once their mirth had died down they were both feeling much happier. Ianto stubbed his fag butt out on the wet concrete underfoot and held out his hand to Tosh, who took it.

"Sod Owen, there's a new Deli opened in the Red Dragon centre, I reckon we should try it out."

Tosh nodded in agreement and snuggled into his side to shelter from the weather. "Good idea."

TWTWTWT

Gwen looked up when her two soggy but cheerful colleagues returned with lunch bags in their hands. It was a nice change to see Ianto without the frown he usually wore. She grinned and followed them up to the boardroom yelling for Owen as she went.

They settled themselves around the new boardroom table and Tosh and Ianto dished out trays of salad, sushi and fruits. Owen was eyeing the display with a good degree of suspicion, but he was soon tucking in with the rest of them.

"God, this is amazing, why haven't we eaten like this before?" Gwen said around a slice of fresh mango, the juice dribbling over her chin. She didn't care, she was enjoying the food too much.

Ianto carefully dabbed at his own sticky fingers with a wet wipe. "It's a new place. I think we'll go there again, the girl behind the counter was very helpful."

Tosh was grinning. "Only because she fancied you."

Ianto blushed, she was probably right. "Good, that means we're likely to get good service then."

Owen gaped at him. "Were you flirting Tea Boy?"

Gwen sniggered and looked at Ianto, waiting for his rebuff. "I don't need to flirt, it's my natural charm, unlike some of us who have to work at it."

"Ianto Jones 1 Owen Harper Nil."

Tosh smiled at that.

"So come on Ianto, was she cute?"

He popped a piece if apple into his mouth and took his time chewing it and swallowing.

"I suppose, black hair, 20ish, Polish I think. She's at the university studying history."

"Wow, this sounds serious."

"Bollocks, it's only serious if she asked you out!"

Ianto turned to Owen with a look of triumph on his face that Owen had never seen before.

"Actually she did, but I politely declined."

Gwen and Owen were both gaping at him now.

"You what? Some hot Eastern European chic asks you out and you say no, you'll never get another chance." Owen responded shoving some sushi into his mouth.

The smirk dropped from Ianto's face.

"Owen, I have barely left this building in three months, I haven't seen my own flat for almost two weeks, what makes you think I'd have time to go on a date?"

Owen finished chomping..."Good point." He turned to Gwen. "How do you manage to have a life Cooper?"

Gwen shrugged. "I'm not sure that I do, it's getting hard convincing Rhys, but it's true I certainly don't do the kind of hours that Ianto puts in."

They all knew that Ianto had taken the lion's share of Jack's responsibilities, except the leadership. Technically he was the longest serving member of Torchwood and should have taken command.

"It's my choice. I don't have anyone on the outside, it's best that you don't lose what you have Gwen. We do need more staff though, we're all putting in too many hours."

They were all in silent agreement. Owen decided to change the subject.

"So, whose up for the pub tonight?"

"Rift permitting, count me in." Ianto replied straight away.

Tosh nodded. "I think that would be nice."

Gwen smiled. "An excellent plan Owen."

Six hours later and twenty pink ferrets from Tolourous Three scuppered the arrangement.

For once Ianto went home. Owen, Gwen and Tosh had insisted by shoving him through the cog door at 11:30 that night. He was under orders to take the following two days off because he hadn't taken a break since the day Jack had run out on them. It wasn't that Ianto was especially upset by Jack's absence, more the manner in which he had left. He had known it would happen, Jack had warned him. Ianto understood, the immortal man needed answers, maybe even a cure for his predicament. Ianto genuinely hoped that he found what he was looking for, even if he did feel a little hurt and just a bit insecure knowing that it wasn't Jack watching his back out in the field. Something had changed whilst Jack was away. The four remaining team members had suddenly needed each other more than ever. They all loved Jack in their own ways and were all hurt by his departure, it was the common thing that bound them together, along with the love of their jobs and a deep sense of duty. Finally they had become friends, if a little uneasily at times.

He paused by the front gate to his apartment block, fumbling about his pocket in a search for his house keys. Ianto looked up at the faint sound of a mewling cat. He glanced about unable to see it and frowned at the distressed sound. There was thumping too and Ianto turned his head in the direction of the row of wheelie bins behind the fence. He pulled his maglight out from his coat pocket and turned it on, aiming the narrow beam towards the bins. Cautiously he approached them, half wondering if he needed to draw his gun, he dismissed that idea and cursed his own paranoia. He slowly lifted the lid of the first bin and took a quick look, wrinkling his nose in distaste, but there was only rubbish. The lid was set down and Ianto heard the strident yeowling get more intense so he checked the next one. It was the recycling bin and as he lifted the lid he saw the milk cartons move and a pathetic ginger face peering up at him with large green eyes.

"Oh dear, how did you get in there?" Ianto felt his heart break as he reached in to lift the cat out. It was soaking wet and shivering and holding it by the scruff he bundled it under the folds of his woollen coat. Claws sank into his side for purchase but the cat merely snuggled further into warm fabric and continued to mewl as he wrapped his arm to support its weight.

"Come on fella lets get you in the warm."

Ianto was thanking God he'd left his central heating on as his flat was cosy and welcoming. He flicked on the lights and locked his front door behind him. Then he went straight to the bathroom and pulled his towelling robe off the door and made his way carefully back to the lounge. He dislodged the cat from under his arm and bedded it down on the couch, firmly wrapped in his dressing gown. The cat seemed very content with that and Ianto decided to shower and change, leaving the cat on his couch.

Ten minutes later he was back in jeans and jumper and the bundle of cat and dressing gown was gently shifted onto his lap so he could check the cat over for any obvious injury. The cat was purring and starting to dry off nicely revealing marmalade stripes and a large bright ginger splodge on one side. He looked rather too thin for Ianto's liking and he wondered why on Earth someone could be so cruel as to put him in a bin. He picked the cat up and held it to his chest as he rose to his feet.

"Come on lets see what we have to eat." He knew his fridge would be empty but vaguely recalled having a tin of tuna in one of the cupboards.

The cat ate the whole tin and Ianto found him an old cardboard box to sleep in. The box was placed on his bedroom floor with the dressing gown inside and the cat sniffed at it before climbing in and settling to wash its feet. It was 3am before Ianto finally fell asleep in his bed.

He was woken up buy the unfamiliar sound of rumbling in his left ear, when he opened his eyes he looked straight into large green ones and he was immediately head butted by a purring feline, who was also padding at the quilt under his chin. Ianto couldn't help but smile.

"Good morning cat."

The face rubbing and the volume of the purring increased as Ianto gently rubbed around soft ginger ears. Ianto carefully sat up and the cat climbed up his chest.

"You are a fussy thing." He said thinking he should get up and find a vet.

He finally rang Owen.

Owen picked up the phone on his desk and was somewhat surprised to hear Ianto's voice on the other end of the line. Something had to be seriously wrong for Tea Boy to call.

"Ianto, what's up?" He was chewing on his sandwhich as he spoke and managed to spit half his mouthful out by mistake... "Oh shit."

"Owen sorry, are you really busy?"

The medic leant back in his chair and put his feet up on his desk.

"Not especially. It's pretty quiet, thank God." He picked at his teeth.

"Can you come over with a small containment case. I have small problem."

Owen immediately sat up. "Is it Alien?"

"No, it's feline and very ginger. I found him in the rubbish bin last night. I was wondering if you'd check him over for me."

"What?"

"It won't take long."

"You have to be joking? A bleeding cat, take it to the vets!"

There was a moments silence. "I can't I don't have a box to put it in, please Owen, I promise chocolate, Javan coffee, a bottle of single malt."

Owen actually rolled his eyes. "All right Tea Boy, but I want good scotch, you know stuff that really does come from Scotland."

"I promise... Thanks Owen."

"Alright I'll be there in ten."

The marmalade cat thoroughly enjoyed his visit to the Hub. The girls took turns with fussing him and feeding him titbits and Owen, as hard hearted as he could sometimes be had his heart stolen by big eyes and long white whiskers. The cat was dubbed Jupiter when Tosh decided his markings reminded her of the planet and Ianto took him home via a long trip around the supermarket to get cat food, a new cat basket, groceries and Owen's whiskey. Jupiter had won him over and Ianto hadn't heart to part with him.

Two months later Jack came back.

Ianto was truly glad to see the back of Captain Hart... Ok he had serious jealousy issues, he couldn't help it. He was tired, more than a little grumpy and just wanted to get back to his flat, he hadn't been home in almost a week, apart from briefly to top up Jupiter's crunchies and water bowl. He sorted out four hotel rooms and passed around the keys. Jack was smiling at him fully expecting to be sharing his room with Ianto. The five of them stood in the lobby awkwardly and it was Owen who broke the apparent stale mate.

"Come on Tosh, I need a hand with this leg." He was wincing in pain, still leaning on his Japanese colleagues shoulder.

"Yes of course." Tosh looked up at Jack with a hopeful half smile. "You'll still be here in the morning?"

Jack bent forward and kissed her cheek. "Count on it. Good night dear Tosh." He said with a heartfelt smile.

Tosh seemed satisfied with that and she and Owen went off to the lifts.

Ianto stuffed his hands into his pocket and toed at the carpet. "Right then, I'll just go and put the sports car back and then I'll be off home." He directed this to Gwen, not really sure who was in charge now.

Gwen smiled at him and gently brushed his arm. "Alright, give Ju my love and get a good nights sleep."

Ianto turned to walk away but Jack grasped his hand and held him back. "You can't go home Ianto, the paradox is too risky."

Ianto met his look. "I haven't been home this week, so I think your paradox is just fine." He responded a little sharply.

Jack's hand dropped away and uncertainty clouded his face as he wondered who Ju was.

"Right, ok. See you tomorrow then?"

Ianto nodded stiffly and he turned to Gwen again. "I'll be in the Hub, normal time. Good night."

He strode away, not looking back and not seeing the forlorn look on Jack's face. Gwen watched Jack's face as Ianto departed.

"Come on Jack, I think you could use a stiff drink." She smiled tugging on his sleeve as he looked back at her.

"If you don't mind, I think I'd better get a shower, my back is still aching from John throwing off the building."

He walked to the lifts and Gwen huffed out a sigh and followed him...


	2. Chapter 2

**JUPITER PART TWO**

"I wondered when you were going to show up." Ianto remarked after opening his front door. Jack was stood on the threshold looking what Ianto could only describe as being hopeful.

"It's late Jack, I'm tired and I really don't want to do this now."

Jack's shoulders slumped and he back pedalled a step and glanced up the darkened street in an effort to hide his hurt. Ianto wasn't fooled for one moment.

"Alright, come on in, but you're sleeping on the couch."

Jack didn't care where he was going to sleep so long as he got to talk first. His face lit up as he stepped into the comforting warmth of Ianto's neat house.

"You realise there's another man in my life now." Ianto said over his shoulder as he headed toward his kitchen. Jack closed the front door and shucked his coat, hanging it up and then he pulled off his boots, remembering Ianto's house rules. It took him a moment to register what Ianto had just said and he remembered Gwen's earlier words about someone called Ju. He followed Ianto to the kitchen and stood and leaned against the door jamb as Ianto, dressed in pyjamas and the large rabbit slippers that Jack had bought him the previous year as a joke, began making a pot of coffee.

"Gwen said something... so er... is it serious?"

Ianto glanced over his shoulder, surprised by the apprehensive smile on Jack's face but he couldn't resist.

"Oh yes, he moved in a few weeks ago."

"Oh, I see. Good, well I hope...I er..."

Ianto couldn't stand his discomfort for too long and he turned and grinned at Jack.

"Jupiter is a cat, Jack. I notice Gwen didn't bother to tell you that much."

Jack's eyebrows were almost in his hairline.

"You have a cat?"

"To re phrase that question I think it goes more along the lines of the cat has a human slave called Ianto and he's very particular about who waits on him so you'd best be on your absolute best behaviour." A mug of heaven was handed over and Jack took it, closing his eyes as he inhaled the comforting scent. Ianto couldn't help but frown at that.

"It's just coffee Jack."

"No it isn't, it's your coffee and I honestly thought at one point that I would never smell it, let alone drink it again."

Ianto looked, really looked at his errant boss-cum-lover, and for the first time saw past his own annoyance and sense of betrayal and noticed a thinner face and weary, darkened eyes.

"Somehow I think there is a story behind that."

Jack blew on his coffee which was cupped in both hands and then took a sip, relishing the uniquely Iantoish flavours that danced over his tongue.

"There is. It's why I am here, if you're willing to have me tell you."

Ianto wasn't sure that he was. He had seen Jack's earlier conversation with Gwen by the cells when he had discovered her engagement and a surge of bitterness got the better of him.

"What, you find out Gwen is getting married so you come on to the next available option?"

Jack froze and gaped at the younger man, completely taken aback.

"No... Ianto I... How could you think that?"

Ianto sighed. "You left us Jack... you've been gone without so much as a word, or an apology for almost seven months. You waltz back into our lives trying to pretend nothing has happened and... I saw the way you looked at her, it's the same look you had on your face every time you started talking about the Doctor... the one you ran off with, I might add."

The coffee suddenly weighed like lead in Jack's gut. He reached forward and placed the mug down on the work top, he made to touch the Welshman's cheek but Ianto took a pace back.

"Oh no you don't, you're not getting off that lightly Jack Harkness."

Hurt flashed across Jack's face, but he quickly composed himself. "Can I explain myself?" He asked quietly.

Unsettled by the subdued tone and lowered hand Ianto nodded and offered up another smile.

"Yes Jack, you can. I promise you, but I really am tired, I've been up for over 20 hours and I really do need to sleep. I'm cranky and wouldn't be a good listener right now."

Jack didn't feel especially reassured.

"Ianto I..."

Ianto frowned again, suddenly worried that Jack looked about to cry.

"It was bad wasn't it?"

Jack nodded, sniffed and turned his face away at the same time, trying to get a grip on suddenly spiralling emotions... so much for thinking he was over everything that had happened on the Valiant. Ianto couldn't believe what he was seeing and he stepped forwards and grasped Jack's arms pulling him into a tight embrace. Jack crumbled and heaved out a staggering sob as he circled his arms loosely around Ianto's waist. Ianto cradled Jack's head against his shoulder which got damp with his tears. He sighed.

"Whatever happened to you?" He asked realising that he'd already told Jack to save the conversation until another time. "It's ok Jack, we'll talk now, I think you need to tell me what has been going on."

Jack merely sniffled in response and clung even tighter, fisting at the fabric of Ianto's clothes. Ianto rubbed soothing circles over his back and they stood there for a long time and finally Ianto's lower back began to ache with the pressure of Jack's weight.

"Why don't I make some fresh drinks and we'll sit on the bed and you can tell me everything, will that do?"

Jack nodded dropping his arms and stepping away as he wiped away the evidence of his tumbling emotions off his face.

"Yep... sorry 'bout that." Jack was looking at the floor and Ianto realised he had never seen this man looked so shattered.

"It's alright Jack, don't apologise for that. Why don't you get a shower, you know where everything is."

Ianto commanded softly in an attempt to ground his distraught boss. He grasped Jack's arms and steered him the direction of the bathroom. Jack was compliant, grateful to be guided and to be given a distraction so that he could gather himself a little.

"Thanks Ianto."

"You're welcome."

Jack emerged from the bathroom towelling at wet hair and dressed in track pants and a ratty old Led Zeplin t-shirt from Ianto's university days. He could hear Ianto humming to himself in the kitchen and Jack paused a moment to listen. He didn't recognise the tune but relished the sound all the same. He dropped the towel into the laundry basket along with his clothes and placed his gun, wallet and mobile phone on the dresser in Ianto's bedroom. The room hadn't changed much except for the addition of a circular sheepskin basket at the end of the bed. Jack smiled, the cat's bed he presumed, wondering where this revered moggy was at the moment. Jack wandered through to the kitchen feeling much better than he had before and Ianto was smiling at him.

"Better now?" He asked gently.

Jack nodded. "Much, thank you."

Jack gaped at the cat from the doorway leading into the lounge.

"Ianto, he's massive." He said pointing in the direction of the sleeping orange leviathan on Ianto's comfy couch. Ianto smiled proffering a second cup of coffee.

"Someone dumped him in my rubbish bin, he was skin and bone then, that was only 9 weeks ago too. He's very friendly."

"Most cats are." Jack replied, remembering one particular tabby he had met in a bar in the days before his immortality. Ianto missed the reference, he was too tired and Jack realised he should really let the younger man go to bed to sleep.

"If you sleep now, can we talk later?" He asked hesitantly.

Ianto nodded, not wanting to debate the issue of Jack's change of mind. He yawned expansively.

"Come on then, Ju would never forgive me if I terffed him off the couch mid nap, you can sleep with me... and I mean sleep."

Jack got the message. He didn't mind, he was in no mood for anything else either and his back was still aching from his exploits on the roof of the British Gas building earlier. In many ways he was relieved just to simply be back here in this house with Ianto, with everything intact and normal.

"I can behave you know." He responded with a cheeky grin that was entirely too hard to drag up. The effort did not escape Ianto's attention.

"Come on then." He held out a hand and Jack took it.

Jack's head was hot and he could feel a deep rumbling in his skull that was not at all unpleasant. If anything the sound was vaguely comforting, like the background hum from the Tardis. He smiled to himself and then opened his eyes.

"OOOmph!"

Jack heaved out a breath and sat up sharply, dislodging the weight that had covered his face. He blinked in the dim light of Ianto's room and looked down as a large feline stalked on to his lap and curled up. The purring intensified and Jack finally getting his breathing under control managed a smile. The bed shook and suddenly Ianto was sitting up beside him and yawning.

"Sorry I forgot to warn you, Jupiter likes to sleep on my head, he obviously decided to try out yours for size."

Jack reached his hand down to soft fur and gently ran his hand over a the long flank of orange stripes and the big blotch.

"I can see why he's called Jupiter."

Ianto settled himself back down. "Uhmmm, Tosh named him." He fell back into sleep and Jack snuggled down beside him, the cat firmly situated on his legs. Jack closed his eyes and relaxed, the tension easing from his body right down to his toes. It was good to be home, even if he did have a lot to make to up to Ianto and the rest of the team. Right now he just wanted to enjoy this moment of content. The weight shifted and Jupiter walked up his chest. The next thing Jack knew he was being head butted and dribbled on and then he felt a rough tongue over his nose and purring reverberated through the paws on his chest. Jack couldn't help but chuckle and stroke the cat along the length of his back to the tip of his curling ringed tail. Then Jupiter started padding.

"Oh...ow... ok cat lose the claws." He smiled and tried to raise the paws one at a time, but Jupiter was determined to have his way. Jack gave up and let the cat get on with it, he'd heal quickly enough and the sensation was nice in a painfully cat clawing at you sort of way and he lay there wondering where the sense was in that. Finally both cat and Jack settled into sleep.

As was usual nowadays Ianto woke up with a large ginger cat on his head. Automatically he stretched out a hand and discovered empty space beside him on the bed. Jupiter rolled and took a leap off the side of the bed, he shot off through the open bedroom door. Ianto sat up suddenly aware of the smell of toast and the sound of Jack talking to the cat who was yeowling for his breakfast. Ianto flopped back down to go back to sleep, not wanting to have his lie in ruined. Today would be busy, once he finally made the effort to go into the Hub. He vaguely recalled promising Gwen that he would be in at his normal ridiculously early hour, but with Jack back he wanted to relish the moment, the brief time they would have together before the world came crashing in again. He never got back to sleep because Jack came into the room.

"Where's the cat food, Ianto?"

Ianto rolled over and blinked at a very naked Jack.

"In the fridge second shelf, he has tuna in the morning."

Jack nodded. "That would explain the fish breath then, do you want breakfast?"

"What time is it?"

"Ten. Gwen called, I told her we'd be in this afternoon."

Ianto rolled his eyes knowing full well how unimpressed she would be by that. He decided he should get up.

"Ok, I'll be there in a minute."

Jack nodded and went back to the kitchen, whistling happily. Ianto smiled at the sound, a happy Jack, it was a rare thing indeed and he sincerely hoped that this time away with the Doctor had helped him sort himself out.


	3. Chapter 3

**JUPITER PART THREE**

"The Doctor couldn't fix me." Jack said finally, after their second round of toast and coffee in Ianto's neat little kitchen. They were sat at the breakfast bar facing each other and Jack was playing with his teaspoon.

"You said... well sort of, yesterday. Made it into a bit of a joke as I recall, which usually means you were trying to avoid the subject."

Jack hitched a brief grin and then looked away towards the window, he never could hide anything from this man.

"I waited almost a hundred and forty years for him to come. I had this illusion of some wildly romantic reunion with him and Rose and us tripping off into the sunset, with me back in my mortal state."

As much as it hurt, Ianto wasn't surprised. "So what went wrong?"

Jack winced. "I did it seems." He looked back to Ianto who had nothing that Jack could interpret showing on his face. He sucked in a breath.

"When he saw me coming for him, he tried to run away, only I caught up with him. It's a long story Ianto and I am not ready to deal with the details, it's too painful, but the up-shot of it is the fact that the Doctor thinks I am wrong, an aberration, something to be avoided and he said I will never die, well not like everyone does at least." Another long breath was taken and he could feel Ianto looking at him intently.

"I have no idea how to comprehend an eternity of living Ianto, I struggle to hold on to the 150 years worth of memory that I already have. I'm like an embryo in the grand scheme of things. Everyone that I will ever love will die before me. How do I even begin to cope with that?"

A hand was reached out, fingers gently curling around his.

"I don't know Jack and for what it is worth, I am sorry I can't fix it for you. Did the Doctor tell you how it happened?"

Jack nodded, his fingers linking with Ianto's unconsciously. "It was Rose. We were in a no win situation and the Doc sent her home in the Tardis to keep her safe, but she came back. She opened up the soul of the Time machine and absorbed the Vortex, but she couldn't control it and in saving me, bringing me back to life, she brought me back forever making me a fixed point in timespace, one that cannot be removed it seems."

Ianto appeared to consider this before he spoke. "She did it because she loved you?"

Jack nodded. "Right after she did it, the Doctor took her with him and ran away. He abandoned me, because he was afraid of me, because I was wrong."

"But it wasn't your fault."

Jack shrugged. "It hurt like hell, it still hurts and I am not entirely certain that I will ever come to terms with that."

There was a long silence.

Jupiter hopped up on to the bench and rubbed his head against Jack and Ianto's linked hands and Ianto pulled away as if suddenly aware of the intimate contact. He petted the cat and he began to purr, flopping onto his side and exposing his belly. Jack smiled at him.

"You're not wrong Jack, I don't want you ever thinking that you are."

Jack looked up and met Ianto's gaze and was relieved to find only honesty there.

"If he thinks you're wrong then he is gravely mistaken, ever since I've known you all you have ever done is work to protect this planet, to protect us. He has no right to say that of you when all he can do is run away. I'm sorry you didn't get what you were you hoping for, but you were so happy to leave us, whatever brought you back?"

"You don't realise how much something means to you until it's not there. I meant what I said yesterday. I came to be with the only family I have left, that's you guys, it's Torchwood, the only way of life I know now. This has become my home, I've been here so long. I came back for you."

Now it was Ianto's turn to look away. "You realise that Gwen will probably leave Rhys for you, she loves you."

Jack shrugged. "She loves an ideal, some hot guy in a long coat who saves the planet. Gwen has no idea who I really am."

"Do any of us?"

Jack had to smile at that. "You do Ianto. You saw straight through me, played me to your own advantage, forgave me. You know all my dirty secrets and sometimes you call me up on them too, make me human, fallible. You see the person I really am, not Captain Jack, just Jack. It's why I came here last night. You knew exactly what to do with me and you put aside your hurt and anger and let me back into your home and I hope maybe into your heart."

Ianto shot him an annoyed frown. "You'll have to earn a place there. It was hard, for all of us. The others thought you ran away because of what happened with Billis Manger, they felt guilty. But I knew it wasn't that. When you kissed me right there in front of everyone, I knew you had forgiven me for that."

"There was nothing to forgive. We were all deceived. The point is Ianto, I don't how to handle who I am, how to deal with being immortal, knowing that it will never end. I know I am going to have moments of doubt. I don't want the others to see that and think that I am weaker because of it."

"I don't understand."

Jack's hand went back to fussing the expanse of orange fur.

"Yes you do, better than anyone ever could. Just kick me when I screw up, keep me in check. I can't die Ianto, the rest of you can and I don't want to forget that and do something reckless that puts the rest of you at risk."

"Jack, we work for Torchwood."

He nodded. "Precisely my point."

Ianto huffed out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up on end.

"Shit. I am sorry Jack. I guess you'll be staying then?"

Jack nodded. "I wasn't planning on leaving again unless the safety of this planet requires it. Look Ianto, I know I have a lot to make up for... but I was serious about that date."

"You didn't ask Gwen, I thought you wanted to be with her."

"I did for a while, back around the time that whole Lisa thing happened. I was knocked for six by that, but there's always been something about you that held me back from her. I can't explain what it was, but I know usually to follow my gut instincts about things. Gwen is like a bright sun in the daylight, but the only thing that has kept me going in the darkness has been you. It got very dark whilst I was away Ianto and all I could think of was coming home to you."

Ianto got up from his place and went over to his coffee maker by the stove, uncertain of what to make of Jack's words.

"I still expect dinner and a movie." He commented, turning to smile at Jack.

Jack's face lit up.

**AN: Next chapter will be a visit to the vet...because cat love is seriously lacking in this one.**


	4. Chapter 4

**JUPITER PART FOUR**

**TWO MONTHS LATER.**

Ianto carefully adjusted his tie in the mirror of his hallway. Jack was leaning against the kitchen door jamb, it seemed to be his favoured spot when standing about in Ianto's home. Ianto knew he was being watched and it made him nervous and also made him take twice as long to get the knot at his throat just right.

Jack was amused, Ianto was not.

"I can't believe I overslept." Ianto complained once again.

"You worry too much, you needed the sleep and there was no great emergency so I turned off your alarm, so technically you did not oversleep, I sort of..."

"Totally sabotaged my early morning routine. Gwen will moan and Owen will be taking the piss and complaining about the lack of coffee." The tie was finally perfect and Ianto sighed looking down at his feet. Jupiter was there, sitting on his rather large arse and looking up at him with big eyes.

"You're getting fat cat."

Jupiter mewled and twitched his whiskers, but held his gaze.

"Why are you so fat? I wonder if someone else is feeding him." Ianto looked at Jack.

"Don't blame me, I only feed it when you tell me too."

Ianto bent down and rubbed his ears.

"Perhaps I should take him to the vet, I never did get round to it when I found him. I got Owen to check him over."

Jupiter purred into his hand as Ianto rubbed at his chin with his fingers. Jack bent down beside him and slid an arm over Ianto's shoulder. He gave Jupiter a closer look and then frowned.

"Ianto, you do realise he is actually a she don't you?"

Ianto turned his head, blinking rather stupidly at Jack. "What?"

Jack just grinned. "I think Owen should stick to human medicine. Jupiter is most definitely a girl and she isn't fat, she's pregnant. You're going to be a daddy Ianto."

Ianto's face paled visibly and Jack honestly thought he was about to faint.

"That bastard, there is no way Owen is that thick, is there. I mean how could he get a thing like that wrong? I thought Jupiter had just had his tackle cut off. I'm gonna kill him."

Jack was chuckling now. "The point is Ianto how did you not spot it? I mean look at the size of Jupiter's nipples!"

"I hardly spend my cat quality time examining hi...her attributes. Oh god, what am I going to do?"

Jack rubbed his back. "Take the day off, and find her a vet and get her checked over by someone who can actually tell what gender she is. You'll probably need to get a litter tray and a bigger basket too, I think she's gonna pop any day."

Jupiter was watching them with interest following their speech with her eyes. Ianto wondered if she knew what they were talking about. Ianto buried his face in hands.

"I am never going to live this down am I?"

"No Ianto, I'm afraid not."

Ianto had never been to see a vet before and he battled through the posh glass door with cat basket in hand. He stepped across the lino floor to the shiny counter and a rather pretty girl in a green uniform on the other side of it. Her Scottish accent left a lot to be desired however.

"Mr Jones is it?"

He nodded. "Yes, I have a pregnant cat."

A dog, having realised the contents of Ianto's basket was feline began to bark, straining on the end of its lead to get closer. Ianto glanced over his shoulder to see a middle aged man battling to keep his hound at bay. Ianto smiled apprehensively at him and Jupiter growled unhappily.

"Alright Mr Jones please take a seat and Karen will be with you shortly."

Ianto nodded and did as bid perching on the seat furthest away from the enthusiastic mut. He glanced around at gleaming shelves laden with diet products and Ianto half wondered if he were even feeding Jupiter properly with her tins of tuna and salmon. Cats were supposed to eat fish weren't they? Jupiter certainly seemed to like it well enough. He wondered what the hell a science diet was and also realised that maybe a flea treatment might be handy. Oh god, did he have fleas in his house? Panic gripped him for a moment...

"Mr Jones? This way please."

Ianto jerked almost dislodging the cat carrier from his lap. He stood up, wincing at a twinge in his lower back and thinking he'd have to... well, now was not the time to be distracted by thoughts like that.

It was another pretty young woman, with a nice local accent and Ianto half wondered if he was in the wrong profession and vaguely considered how long he'd have to train to be a vet. He followed her into a shiny consulting room and she gestured at a black topped bench. Jupiter was yeowling impatiently now and Ianto carefully placed the cage on the bench.

"So I see this is Jupiter's first visit, lets take a look at her, shall we?"

Ianto popped the catches.

Finally.

Jupiter lunged forwards, straight into Ianto's arms. She clambered up his chest with claws out at maximum and perched herself on his shoulder somewhat precariously. Ianto went scarlet as the pain from his claw wounds made his eyes water.

"Ow!"

"Oh, dear let me help!"

Jupiter growled as two sets of hands dislodged her from her vantage point on Ianto's head. Her ringed tail slashed vigorously from side to side as she was manhandled carefully on to the examination table, one hand gripping her scruff. Ianto blinked away his tears, completely taken aback by Jupiter's escape attempt.

"Sorry, sorry about that he's usually such a nice cat." Ianto apologised trying to gather his calm.

The vet was smiling at him pleasantly, her hand still firmly braced in Jupiter's scruff. "He?"

Ianto flushed. "Well yes, I was advised he was a he and this morning I just thought he was fat until Jack told me she was pregnant."

"Smart man this Jack. Yes, she's very pregnant. It's alright I'll just check her over."

Jupiter hissed and growled right through the indignity of her exam and being shoved somewhat unceremoniously back into her carrier. Ianto felt terribly guilty.

"So how's her diet?"

By now Karen was at her computer terminal typing her notes.

"She has fish, tuna and salmon." Ianto replied confidently, he patted the cat carrier and got another growl for his efforts.

"What else?"

Ianto blinked. "Oh, erm, that's it really."

Karen turned to look at him.

"Have you tried catfood?"

"Can't say I'd be partial to it really." Ianto deadpanned, which made her smile. Ianto couldn't believe how nervous he was feeling. "Sorry, er no. Fish is alright isn't it?" He had no idea really.

"You should really only give that as a treat, she'll need a much more balanced diet especially with that litter on the way. Felix or Whiskers in the supermarket, be sure to tell your wife, next time she goes shopping."

Ianto gaped. "I'm not married." He blurted it out. Karen nodded apparently rather pleased with that news because next thing she asked was.

"Fantastic, did you want to go out for a drink then sometime?"

The cat had clearly got Ianto's tongue. "I er... oh... er... sorry I'd love to but..."

"You're seeing someone." It was her turn to blush. "No I apologise... blimey I'm at work chatting up the cat owners... normally they're old ladies..." She babbled, blushing almost as much as Ianto.

"It's alright, really. It was nice to be asked."

"Gosh right, back to Jupiter."

"Fleas." Ianto said still feeling uncomfortable.

"She hasn't got any. You can buy the flea treatments here, but give her any until she's stopped suckling her kittens. Also you'll need to bring her in for her annual vaccinations, has she had any jabs do you know?"

Ianto shrugged. "I found her in my bin a few months ago, just kept her really." This whole cat thing was becoming far more complicated than he'd ever imagined...


	5. Chapter 5

**JUPITER PART FIVE**

Jack simply couldn't contain his laughter as Ianto explained what had happened at the vets he gently ran his finger tips over the claw marks on Ianto's chest and Ianto playfully slapped his hand away.

"It was very embarrassing Jack, I hadn't a clue."

Jack just went back to fussing him. "Ianto, who knows everything Jones... I really wish I'd been there."

"That wasn't the end of it, then she asked me out on a date, probably felt sorry for me."

"And what did you say to that?" Jack rolled on to his back and pulled Ianto into an embrace against his chest.

"I was very gentlemanly and politely refused, she was very pretty though, and Welsh." Ianto settled himself down and closed his eyes. "What am I going to do with a load of kittens Jack?"

Jack smiled into his hair. "I don't know Ianto, but for now go to sleep and stop worrying about it. Jupiter will be fine; cats are very self managing creatures."

He could feel Jupiter moving about on the bottom of the bed, getting himself woops...herself, comfortable for the night.

Ianto drifted off to sleep and dreamt of Jupiter having fifty kittens and his house being overrun by errant moggies. He awoke with a start and Jupiter purring on his head. Ianto carefully rolled her aside and sat up and Jupiter merely settled on the bed where Jack had previously been sleeping. There was a note on the pillow and yawning Ianto picked it up.

"Please bring breakfast when you come in, weevil alert. CJH. Huh, typical. You know I think Jack was a cat in a previous life, so long as he has things to chase, food to eat, plenty of sleep and sex...vanity vanity...Oh God I'm losing the plot." He rubbed absently at Jupiter's chin. "Guess I'd better get up then."

When he entered the Hub at 7:05 he was rather surprised to find Tosh already at her terminal and was privately thanking someone that he had bought extra cakes. He offered up a cheery smile on his way to the coffee machine.

"Morning Tosh."

She looked up with a faint smile. "Hello Ianto, how's Jupiter?"

Ianto paused on the step leading to his cubby hole. "Jack told you did he?"

Tosh's smile widened, just a little. "You're going to be a daddy and Owen needs to go back to med school?"

It was worth it just to see that look on the Japanese woman's face. "Something like that. I don't think I have been so embarrassed before in my life."

Still smiling Tosh held up a brightly wrapped package and proffered it toward him. "Here I thought you might like this, so you can fill the gaps in your knowledge about all things cat."

Ianto arched an eyebrow as he carefully deposited his bag of breakfast on the sofa. He stepped forwards and took the package, which was clearly a gift wrapped book. He carefully peeled the paper away and a huge grin spread across his face.

"Know Your Cat by Bruce Fogle. Tosh, that's brilliant." He began flicking through the glossy pages.

"You don't mind?"

Ianto's smile widened as he looked at her. "It's perfect, exactly what I need." Ianto declared, a somewhat naughty plan forming in his mind; he was going to have some fun with this.

**AN: and Ianto's naughty plan will have to wait until next time folks... sorry have just been tortured by the dentist and am still dribbling...**


	6. Chapter 6

**JUPITER PART SIX**

It had been a quiet, routine sort of day and Owen busied himself with cleaning up the autopsy bay, having completed his examination of yet another dead weevil. This one had apparently died from age related natural causes, or so Owen believed. He was wiping down the metal table when he heard footsteps on the gallery level above and Owen turned to see Ianto leaning on the rail looking down at him with a serious expression on his face.

"You look like you have time to make some coffee." Owen hinted.

Ianto's expression remained and the frown on his brow deepened. "Its all your fault you know."

Owen froze and narrowed his eyes, now what? "What's my fault?"

"Jupiter getting pregnant. It's very irresponsible of you."

Owen's eyebrows climbed into his hairline. "Do what?"

"The way I see it. I think you should take your responsibilities more seriously... I mean pregnancy aside, think of all the sexuality issues that poor cat has been left with, all this time thinking she's a boy, being called he or good boy. It's very distressing for a cat. I mean it's bad enough being left in a rubbish bin. And those poor kittens without a father..." Ianto tut tutted to himself as he swung away and disappeared into the Hub.

Owen was gaping at the space that Ianto had vacated utterly gobsmacked.

As Ianto headed to the coffee machine leaving a stunned Owen in his wake he caught the sounds of Gwen and Tosh sniggering. Ianto winked at them.

"Coffee ladies?"

"Yes please." They chorused and promptly burst into fits of giggles.

Jack had watched from the comfort of his office on the CCTV monitor and he came out of his room at the mention of the dark liquid elixir called coffee heaven. He jogged down the steps and joined Ianto by the coffee machine.

"The look on Owen's face was priceless."

Ianto simply turned and smiled at him.

"That was just the beginning. I owe him for all the 'Tea Boys' and 'Welsh Gits', so I am going to enjoy myself."

He got out four mugs and one saucer and arranged them on his tray. Jack didn't even know they had saucers, he pointed at it.

"What's with the..." He stopped mid sentence when he watched Ianto pour a dash of milk into it. "You're not...are you?"

Ianto nodded taking on a solemn expression.

"He'll kill you."

An eyebrow was arched and Jack felt his gut tighten because it just looked too bloody sexy for words.

"You think?"

Jack grinned. "Now now, be nice to the medic, after all he is only ..."

"A weasel?... a ferret maybe. Yep weasel, he even looks like a weasel. Just let me have my fun."

"Who am I to stand in the way of your vengeance? What have we got for lunch, anyway?"

Ianto pointed to the fridge. " More like supper Jack, I went to the deli, thought it'd be change from Chinese. Did you know Tosh bought me a lovely book, all about cats. It's very good."

Jack leaned against the wall and folded his arms deciding to watch coffee magic at work.

"That's nice. How was Ju this morning?"

"Fat and heavy. I woke with her on my head again. You don't suppose she'll have her kittens on the bed, do you?"

Jack shook his head. "She'll probably go to her basket now you've moved it behind the couch, she'll feel safe in there, and don't fret, she'll be fine and you'll be a dad any day soon."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Yes, quite."

The alarms went off and both men turned and marched automatically to Tosh's station. She was tapping intently at her keyboard whilst watching her screens as the rest of the team clustered behind her.

"Lovely, a creature reported at the railway station, sounds like a weevil to me."

Jack grinned. "Come on Ianto, I think it's time to go hunting."

Owen and Gwen exchanged long suffering looks.

"No shagging in the back of the SUV!"

Ianto froze mid stride and turned to look at Owen. "What did you say?"

Jack grabbed his sleeve. "Ianto, come on."

Owen inched behind Gwen as Jack dragged Ianto to the garage.

"What did you say that for?" Gwen demanded folding her arms.

"It's a euphemism for shagging. I bet Jack even planted a false alert."

Tosh pulled off her glasses and shook her head. "No he didn't Owen. Ianto and Jack aren't shagging."

Owen laughed. "Yeah right."

Tosh shook her head, not really wanting to take any more notice of Owen than she had to. Tommy was still too fresh in her mind. Gwen just looked indignant and returned to her desk.

"Bollocks, never did get that coffee." Owen muttered as he headed back in the direction of the autopsy bay.

Jack settled himself at the steering wheel readjusting the seat before keying the ignition. Ianto sat beside him checking his gun and the weevil sedative he'd need. He was not happy and Jack stomped on the gas and swung the vehicle out into the evening traffic, chancing a quick glance at the tight expression on the younger man's face. Ianto steadfastly kept his focus on the items in his hands. Jack touched his bluetooth to talk to Tosh deciding to leave Ianto to his thoughts for a moment, work first.

"Ok Tosh, do you have any kind of a fix on a position for us?"

"Yep. Looks like the weevil is in fact a weevil and not anything else. It hasn't come through the rift, so I think it's one of our longer term residents. CCTV... hang on...yes its heading towards the Brains Brewery... that should make Ianto happy at least."

Jack doubted that, Ianto's bad moods were often swift to arrive and difficult to shift and Owen's passing comment had clearly pissed him off.

"Ok, thanks Tosh, keep me posted."

"Will do Jack."

At least it wasn't far to drive, though with the amount of traffic it could take a while to get there.

Jack concentrated his eyes on the road.

"So, what's up?" He ventured.

Ianto was by now looking out of his window and pressing his com into his ear.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

Jack sighed. "Owen... what he said... you know he was winding you up."

"He gave as good as he got." Ianto responded.

"Yet here you are, sulking about it."

Ianto shrugged.

"Come on Ianto, talk to me."

"I just hate the way he belittles us. We're not...shagging, we're not anything, its demeaning Jack."

Jack was frowning. "So what we did last night was..."

Ianto shot him a glare. "Don't you bloody start."

"What... I mean I was there Ianto, it felt like shagging to me."

Ianto went back to looking out of the window and bit at his lower lip.

"Ianto?"

He was ignored and Jack huffed impatiently.

"Not now Jack. I really do not want to do this now, we're at work."

"Ok, fine... oh shit." He just realised Tosh had overheard the entire conversation. He swung the SUV into the car park by the Brewery and screeched it to a halt. Ianto was out of the vehicle before Jack had even undone his seat belt...

**AN: TUNE IN NEXT TIME...NIGHTY NIGHT, **** ENJOY THE METEORS IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE IN A CLOUD FREE ZONE 11PM ONWARDS GMT...**


	7. Chapter 7

**JUPITER PART SEVEN**

Ianto marched off and Jack having locked up the SUV had to jog to catch up with him, he tapped his com as he came up to stride alongside the younger man.

"Tosh, have you got anything?"

"No, the CCTV at the back of the Brewery appears to be out of commission."

"Ok looks like we'll have to do this the old fashioned way, keep me posted." He disconnected the call and offered up a grin to Ianto.

"We'll do a quick search from the back and work our way round." He glanced at his watch. "Do they have shift workers here?"

Ianto nodded. "The shifts changed over about an hour ago so most of the staff would have gone home. This is going to be nightmare Jack, the site is huge."

They were walking along the side of the brick building, past large wooden pallets that were stacked somewhat haphazardly in piles, the ground was covered in puddles that had pooled on the uneven concrete from an earlier shower.

"Yeah, well we have plenty of time, stay sharp Ianto."

The Welshman nodded quashing his annoyance because professionalism dictated the situation if he wanted to stay alive. He'd bollock Jack later, in privacy. Ianto sighed inwardly realising that he would do no such thing, Jack was just naturally clueless, so there'd be no point. The chill of the breeze found its way under his jacket and Ianto was grateful he had a waistcoat on today. He instinctively fell into step about a pace behind Jack and to his left, it seemed to be the way they usually unconsciously worked. Jack always took point. Ianto glancing one way and Jack the other as they came onto the car park at the back of the building. There were a dozen or so delivery lorries parked in a row, their back ends facing the building and one man standing by a closed metal roller door with a fag hanging from his lips. Ianto pulled his wallet out and paused, searching out his city council ID. The man, looked at them with a degree of suspicion and wiped his hands down the front of his dirty denim jacket. Ianto glanced at Jack and had to smile as Jack instantly went into flirt mode, flashing a toothy grin as they approached.

"Hi there."

The man pulled the cigarette from his mouth and his eyes trailed over Jack's appearance and then he faced Ianto clearly taking in the suit with a degree of distaste.

"Look fella's I know you types like to go somewhere private like, for your... but not round 'ere. Now piss off."

Jack froze and Ianto simply sighed and waved his ID.

"Actually I'm from Environmental Health, Dafydd Jones and this John Smith from Health and Safety, and you are?"

The man immediately stubbed out his fag and Jack shook his head in disapproval. "You see Dafydd, that's just the kinda thing I was talking about."

"So... er what are you doing here, isn't it a bit late for you types to be at work?"

Ianto wondered what he meant and fixed a very officious stare on the pot bellied man.

"He thinks we're queer." Jack quipped, somewhat glad he wasn't in flirt mode now he could take in the belly overhanging the jeans that were way too tight to be healthy. Ianto shot Jack a glare before he returned his attention to...

"I didn't get your name."

"Lewis, Tom Lewis."

"Mr Lewis. I see, well we're inspecting the premises after receiving some complaints."

"I see, well it don't concern me, I'm just a driver from the agency." He gestured to an older model white van. "You need to ask me anything, 'cause if not I'll be off."

"Right then. Yes, you do that."

Tom nodded. There was no doubt in his mind that they were queer, not that he was bothered, so long as it wasn't in his face. He shoved his hands in his pockets and strode off. Ianto and Jack watched him get into his van and drive off.

"Was he casing the joint, do you suppose?" Jack asked.

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Can we get back to the weevil?" He snapped.

Jack nodded wondering why Ianto was getting grumpy again. They went back to their search. The sky darkened rather quickly and the heavens opened. Typical. Ianto was soaked through within moments. They crept cautiously around each of the trucks, checking under each vehicle as well before moving on to the next before coming to a row of skips and open topped bins.

There it was, standing upright and leaning into a square aluminium garbage container, it was reaching in and randomly sorting through the rubbish, snuffling and grunting as it sifted through the waste looking for food. Jack pulled Ianto aside against the side of the last lorry in the row and faced the younger man whose wet hair was plastered against his pale forehead.

"Should be easy, it looks like a juvenile."

Ianto pulled out his gun and Jack handed him the can of sedative spray before taking out his Webley.

"Ready for this?"

Ianto nodded, hoping that no one else was going to be about.

"Yep."

They edged out, Jack veering off to the left so they could approach it from both sides. The rain increased and Ianto mentally cursed, blinking the water out of his eyes as it ran down over his face. The weevil hadn't noticed them and Ianto focussed his concentration on its back moving forwards as quietly as he could, briefly glancing to his left to check that Jack was in position...

"Ianto look out!"

The warning came too late as pain exploded in Ianto's side as he was bodily slammed into the concrete. Hot breath and growling in his ear; and something tearing at his clothes. He screamed in agony struggling to get away as teeth ripped through his flesh. The spray can spun out of his grip and next he realised he was lying on the ground blinking out the rain and fighting against pain and shock to stay awake. It was blurry everything fading in and out, but he heard Jack yelling and crying out in pain and saw through his slanted vision the bulk of a weevil tearing at him. Blood fountained out, mingling with the rain. In some weird detached way Ianto realised he still had a solid grip on his gun. He raised a shuddering arm and squeezed the trigger and kept on until the magazine emptied and the world went still. Everything went white and then everything went black.


	8. Chapter 8

**JUPITER PART EIGHT**

All he could hear was the sound of his own laboured breathing and the rain spattering on the concrete. He could feel the chill dampness of the water seeping through his clothes, the cold hardness of the ground underneath him and the water running over his face. Light flashed and then darkness, images snapping in his vision, strobing through his staggering consciousness... words, colours and smells exploding through his senses like lances through his flesh. Slowly though a stifling, smothering blackness absorbed him and blanketed the sensations until nothing was left at all beyond the stumbling of his heartbeat.

Jack sucked in his first breath and immediately gagged on the rainwater in his mouth. Spluttering he hauled himself upright and shoved the dead weevil away from him as he rolled on to his hands and knees and coughed out the rain, spitting into the puddle between his splayed hands. He sat up on his and shivered with cold and wet and glanced across the darkened car park...

Ianto.

Jack lurched to his feet and staggered over to where the younger man was sprawled in a pool of blood and rain. His hand went straight to his com unit.

"Tosh? Tosh! Can you hear me?"

"God Jack, what the hell is going on? Owen and Gwen are on their way to you I couldn't get hold of you."

Jack knelt at Ianto's side. "Ianto's down, taken a serious hit from a weevil, he'll need an Ambulance. We're in the lorry park at the back of the brewery... gotta go."

He carefully inspected his unconscious team member and sighed worriedly when the pulse he found at Ianto's neck was stuttering and faint.

"Need to feed the cat."

Jack gaped at dull blue eyes that blinked out the rain.

"Don't forget to feed Jupiter. Please Jack, make sure you look after her after I'm gone." Tears mingled with the rain and Jack dipped his head so his lips brushed at Ianto's cheek.

"Hang on Ianto. You're gonna be a daddy any day, you can't go yet, you can't."

He could feel the shallow warm breaths of his lover.

"It'll be ok Jack, really."

"Just hang on Ianto, the others are coming, please hold on."

Ianto's eyes slid shut.

Jupiter was lying along the full length of the couch when Jack stepped into the house. Jack was grateful that the heating was working as he shucked off his wet coat and hung it up on the hanger that Ianto always left out especially for him. He slunk into the lounge anticipating crashing onto the sofa and having a doze. He stared down at the large moggy and shook his head with affection.

"Hey Ju, you hungry?"

Jupiter merely looked along the length of her nose and twitched a few whiskers, she went back to washing her paws.

"Fine, you seem pretty cosy there, don't spose you want to share the couch do you... no... figures. Ianto lets you get away with far too much!"

He gently stroked Jupiter's head and received a brief purr and a nuzzle of his fingertips for his efforts.

Jack straightened up and wandered into the kitchen, Ianto always had food in the fridge these days and Jack knew full well the younger man would never bother if Jack didn't stay over occasionally. He didn't like coming here when Ianto wasn't with him, even though Ianto had given him a key and an open invitation. It was really Ianto's presence that made this place home.

Ianto had been in hospital for almost a week. Jack had never seen the young man look so fragile and it had disturbed him immensely to be reminded once again just how delicate the balance between life and death actually was. Owen had spent the first day at the hospital overseeing what the NHS staff were doing because he was extremely unhappy about leaving Ianto in a public hospital. There had been little choice any delay and Ianto would have almost certainly died. It had been a bad tempered day and Gwen had been the one to stop both Owen and himself from losing their tempers with the hospital staff. Ianto was oblivious of the fuss and even now, 6 days later he was still heavily drugged and not very fussed on sharing himself with the rest of the world. The two times Jack had seen him awake and Ianto had asked after the bloody cat. In many ways Jack had been relieved, Ianto finally had something outside of his work that he took an interest in, but a cat, of all things.

Jack opened up the fridge freezer and had a forage until he found some frozen something labelled Friday 17th in Ianto's neat script. He smiled at it and realised just how much he had missed Ianto this last week. It was little things, like having coffee and lunch with him in the boardroom or up in the tourist office. Ianto's somewhat dry humour and those little shy smiles offered up whenever Jack looked his way. Jack wondered when he had started noticing such things. There was always something distinctly innocent and at the same time erotic in those gestures. A moment later and his dinner was heating up in the microwave oven and Jack was carefully following Ianto's handwritten instruction manual for his coffee machine. He was smiling to himself as he read through the neatly laid out guidelines with little diagrams...only Ianto would do such a thing, living in abject fear that Jack would set his house on fire if left alone there. Ianto just needed someone to look after, it was both heart warming and heart breaking at the same time but if Jack were honest with himself he was grateful. He would never openly admit it though. He didn't want Ianto confusing the gratitude with anything deeper, which was ridiculous even to his own mind. Sometimes Jack confused himself no end over his feelings for the younger man. He'd come back from the hell that had been the Valiant to be with this man and the team that he had nurtured, but it was something much more profound that held him here and Jack really didn't want to explore that too deeply. It was enough that he was there having found a place, all be it temporarily... in his scale of things anyway. There would no permanent in his life no now, not ever. Sometimes that thought frightened him more than he cared to admit, but then Ianto would ground him and remind him, in the nicest possible way, not to focus on the long term, but the here and now. Jack wondered why he was thinking about this now... He missed Ianto, didn't like the fact that his life had almost been lost because of an enraged weevil, something so...mundane. The microwave pinged...

It surprised him how well he slept. Something else he'd never admit to. Hadn't he once boasted to Gwen that he never slept? How childish was that? It seemed like an eternity ago, standing on the roof the Millennium Centre, back in a time when he had seriously considered taking Gwen down to his bunk instead of Ianto. Naturally he'd be more than happy to have Gwen for a night or two...damn the 21st century and its limitations. Jack rolled on to his back and stretched out happily growing rather too accustomed to the comforts of having a king sized bed, with or without Ianto in it next to him. He really wanted to just lie there and do nothing, but it was already almost 8am and if he didn't get in to the Hub before the others there would be too many questions from Gwen about where he'd been. Still, another ten minutes wouldn't hurt and sod Gwen, it was none her business where he slept at night. He could hear birdsong outside and relished the sound of it because it had been a very long time since he had taken the time to listen and it had been years since he had spent time in an actual house. Jack closed his eyes refusing to let that thought unwind any further. Then he realised that Jupiter was not on the bed or sleeping on his head for that matter. Jack sat up.

"Jupiter?"

He listened for the normal plaintive yowling that came with her demand for her morning tuna and it didn't come.

Jack threw aside the covers and got up padding naked through the house in search of the errant cat. What he found brought a broad smile to his face.

Tucked away in the basket behind the couch was Jupiter, washing her newly born litter of kittens, all five of them...


	9. Chapter 9

**JUPITER PART NINE**

Ianto sighed unhappily having been told by the team of doctors at their early morning ward round that he would not be going home today. His temperature was still elevated and he was not responding as well as they would have liked to the antibiotic treatments he was receiving. His wounds were still infected and therefore he was staying right where he was for the time being. As soon as they had left he slid out of his bed and grabbed his mobile phone from the cupboard that held his belongings and wheeling his IV bag alongside him he headed off the ward and on to the corridor and phoned Jack. Jack answered almost immediately.

"Hey Ianto, how's things?" He sounded far too cheerful.

"They won't let me out, please get Owen over here I want to know why the antibiotics aren't working Jack. I'm worried I've picked up something non terrestrial from the weevil that attacked me." Ianto sank into a plastic chair.

"Hang on a minute Ianto. Owen wants to talk to you."

Oh wonderful...

"Hi Owen."

"Tea Boy, I'm coming over with a swab kit. Jack wants to know if there's anything you need."

Ianto bit at his lower lip for a moment. "No, just want to get out of here as soon as possible."

"What, with all those hot nurses catering to your every whim? You must be bonkers mate."

"Says the man who isn't sick."

"Fair point, anyway I'll be there in an hour, here's Jack."

Ianto listened as the phone was passed back.

"I'll drop by this evening, Rift permitting."

"Yeah, ok. Can you bring me something to read, I'm bored senseless... and no porn Jack, just grab one of the novels from the middle shelf in my lounge."

Jack was chuckling. "War and Peace it is then."

Ianto smiled. "Thanks Jack."

"No problem, see you later."

"Yep."

They both hung up at the same time and Ianto stuffed his phone into breast pocket of his red pyjamas. He remained seated on the chair and gazed out of the window that over looked the roof tops of the hospital buildings. He wondered if Jack had spent any of his time up there pondering the world. Ianto shook his head and feeling faintly queasy decided to head back to his NHS bed from hell.

Jack pocketed his mobile with a sigh. He left his office and headed down to the autopsy bay to find Owen who was preparing his kit.

"I'd like you to organise getting Ianto back here, if this infection is even remotely... well he needs to be here where we can keep an eye on things without the risk of contamination into the general populace."

Owen faced him. "Yeah, I was about to suggest the same thing. I'll call the ward and tell them we are collecting him and then I can do my tests here and start him on some of our drugs. The Metronidazole he's on now really should have done the trick. Give me half an hour to get set up here and then we can go and get him."

"I'll go and ring the hospital?"

Owen shook his head. "No I will, they'll need my Practitioner's codes before they release him and I'd rather not wave the Torchwood banner about too loudly if you don't mind."

"Ok, just so long as we get it done."

"No problem boss."

Ianto was both relieved and worried at the same time when both Owen and Jack arrived to take him home. Owen went straight to the nurse's station and Jack came to his bedside and planted an overnight bag on the chair beside his bed.

"Owen's just going to get you disconnected from that..." Jack gestured to the IV. "and then we're taking you to the Hub for some tests and a change of drugs."

Ianto smiled nervously. "All I wanted was a book."

Jack sat down on the edge of the bed. "We need to be sure and anyway I'd rather have you where we can see you."

"Or where I'm near enough to make some coffee?"

Jack smiled, scandalised. "Ianto Jones you wound me... No, you'll be stuck on another one of those beds I'm sure and I expect Owen will want you to rest anyway. Tosh and Gwen would murder us if we were seen to be demanding your coffee whilst you are sick."

"Can't I go home then?"

"No, not until Owen is satisfied that you are safe to."

Ianto chewed on his bottom lip. "How's Jupiter?"

"Jupiter and the five babies are doing well. Tosh came round and took pictures and she's set up a web cam behind your sofa, so you can cat watch to your heart's content. I was gonna bring in some video this evening for you, but you'll get the live action at the Hub."

"What am I going to do with five kittens Jack?"

"Well Gwen says she'll have one for Rhy's niece. I think she likes the little ginger and white one, she's already named it Pancake."

Ianto gaped. "Pancake? That's a very undignified name for a cat, but it is kind of cute. I suppose I could ask the vets if I can put an ad in the window or something."

Owen arrived and swept the blue around the bed. Ianto noticed a tray with a syringe in his hand.

"What's that?"

"Don't panic Tea Boy, there's no needle. It's just a saline flush for your canula. Jack, shift your arse for a minute will you?"

An hour and a half later and Ianto was installed in the autopsy bay on the more comfortable gurney. Owen shooed Jack and the girls out of his work area and promptly donned a surgical gown, gloves and mask so he could get to work. Ianto was laying down in his jeans and a large padded dressing that covered most of his chest and right shoulder.

Jack took up a post on the gallery level and watched, smiling down at a very nervous looking Ianto.

Owen carefully eased off the dressings and Ianto winced with the pain as the fabric was lifted away from raw, oozing stitches.

"Sorry Ianto this is gonna be painful, you want some morphine?"

Ianto gritted his teeth and shook his head. "You know that stuff makes me sick. I'll be ok Owen."

"Fine, sing out if you change your mind."

The younger man nodded and Owen continued on, firstly taking a swab and setting about irrigating and cleaning the wounds, which looked as raw as ever.

"Did you want a cat Owen?" Ianto asked through tightened lips and closed eyes.

"Do what?"

"A cat, suddenly I find myself with six cats instead of one."

Owen sniggered. "The only thing a cat is good for is slinging on the bar-b-que, or maybe a spit roast."

"You're an evil sod aren't you."

"Says the man who is not wielding a scalpel."

Ianto's eyes snapped open. "What are you doing?"

Owen grinned even though the mask was hiding it, Ianto could tell. "I'll need to give you a local and then take these stitches out and clean the wound and restitch, sorry mate this is bit of a mess."

"Right... ok... needles then."

"Yeah. I think I'll give you a sedative first, you ok with that?"

Ianto was. "Yep, if it makes this go quicker or less noticeable."

"So about the cat."

"The offer is no longer on. I don't want you eating it."

The sedative went in via his IV and Ianto felt a rush of calm almost immediately.

"Thanks." He drowsed out and closed his eyes again.

Owen turned his head toward the gallery. "Get suited up, you may as well assist if you insist on watching everything."

"Sure." Jack didn't mind, he was never much bothered with gore and he wanted to be close by in case Ianto woke up.

When Ianto woke up he was re dressed and wrapped in a warm fleecy blanket that smelt distinctly of Jack. His chest was aching and he felt vaguely nauseas but at least he was in the Hub, though it was must be late because the lights were dimmed down and everything was quiet. Cautiously he turned on to his left side and hissed with pain as he moved so went he back onto his back and sighed because his bladder felt fit to burst.

"Jack?" He voice was gritty.

"Hello pet." It was Gwen and Ianto could hear footsteps echoing off the ceramic tiled floor. Her face came into view, large friendly eyes and a wide gap toothed smile.

"What do you need?"

Ianto blushed. "Actually I need the bathroom."

Gwen merely nodded and began to pull the blanket away. "Owen said I'm to get you a bottle to... well because he doesn't want you moving around too much."

"Oh, right um..." Ianto really didn't know what to do with himself.

"It's alright pet. I'll fetch Jack."

Ianto was entirely grateful and smiled his thanks as Gwen headed out up the steps into the Hub. A few minutes later and Jack bounded into the room. Ianto was enveloped in a hug and helped to sit up properly, and very carefully. Ianto leaned into Jack's chest rested his hands on Jack's hips for balance.

"Thanks Jack."

"Gwen says you need to..."

"Yep." The whole issue was just embarrassing.

Jack could feel the young in his arms shying away. "Hey, it's fine. How many times have you taken care of me when I've come back from dying...that's been pretty messy at times and you've done it and I am grateful that you have. Come on, it's not like I don't know what you look like." He said gently into Ianto's hair.

Ianto nodded. "I know, I just hate this."

"It's ok Ianto, come on."

They attended to Ianto's needs and once Ianto had washed and dried his hands Jack settled him back down on the gurney.

"Owen ran some tests whilst you were asleep and he's started you on some different antibiotics, so hopefully that will do the job." Jack said, fussing with his hair.

Ianto hummed contentedly. "I'm going to have scars aren't I?"

"Yeah, but nice, manly ones. Now close your eyes and go back to sleep."

"Is it late?"

"Three am."

"Why is Gwen still here?"

Jack perched his arse on the edge of the gurney and took one of Ianto's hands in both of his.

"In case there's an alert and I get called out, Owen didn't want you left unattended tonight."

"Have you been to the flat? Are the cats ok?"

Jack grinned. "The cats are fine. Tosh went in to check on them and I think she may have even stayed at your place for the night so she could play with the kittens. Tosh has gone very gooey and has been watching the cat cam at every opportunity."

"Jupiter likes Tosh."

"Jupiter likes everyone so long as they don't take over the couch."

Ianto's eyelids shuttered down. "Night Jack."

Jack leant forwards and kissed his forehead. "Good night Ianto."


	10. Chapter 10

**JUPITER PART TEN**

Owen sighed as he made his way up to Jack's office, print out in hand. To his surprise he found that Jack was actually doing his paperwork. He closed the door at his back and sat down at the same time that Jack looked up.

"We have a problem boss."

Owen tossed the folder onto Jack's desk. "Ianto's test results confirm the presence of a secondary bacterial infection in the wounds."

Jack slid the folder towards himself and opened it up.

"Secondary?"

"Yeah, he has also contracted a viral infection, definitely alien or at least its not on my database. The antibiotics are doing fine with the bacterial problem but the virus... I don't think I have anything in my stock that will cut it. I've sent blood and tissue samples to UNIT and have already started Ianto on a broad spectrum anti viral, but I am not optimistic. His core temperature has gone up to 39.3 celcius and a rash has developed across his abdomen and upper back which he tells me is like a stinging pain. It looks to be tracking along the nerves."

"Is this as serious as I think it is?"

Owen shrugged. "I don't think anyone else is at risk. Everyone that has handled Ianto has been wearing gloves and masks, even the medics in AnE. Having had a look at our dead weevil friend it seems likely that whatever it had clawed to death before it got Ianto is the likely source. We're pretty sure that weevil had come from the rift within hours of your encounter with it, Tosh's readings verified that. It's not a weevil virus so I don't think there's a risk to the weevil population or the potential for it being spread by them. I'll be running extensive tests on all of us, but I am relatively certain that Ianto is the only person infected. I will recommend a week long quarantine for all of us though, just to be sure."

Jack ran a hand through his hair. "Shit."

"Yeah...Shit."

"What about Ianto?"

"He's very ill Jack. I won't to lie you all I can do is give him pain relief and try to keep his temperature down. Hopefully UNIT will come up with something."

"And if they don't?"

"We could lose him Jack. If I can't get him stabelised soon he's just going to burn up and as I have no real idea what this virus is gonna do... Eitherway he's going to need to go into the iso containment lab for the duration and I shall be enforcing hazmat protocols."

Jack stood up. "We'd best get on with it then, get him settled as quickly as possible."

"Tosh is setting up things in the lab, I'm going to transfer some equipment down there, and I should be ready to move Ianto in about an hour." Owen got to his feet and reached over the desk and grasped Jack's arm.

"He doesn't know Jack."

Jack's shoulders slumped. "You want me to tell him?"

Owen nodded. "I think it would be better coming from you."

"Yeah, you're probably right. You do what you have to do. I'll talk to Ianto."

"Gloves and gown Jack and no kissing him or anything."

Jack sucked in a sharp breath and met Owen's stern look with one of his own. "I know the drill."

"I also know how you feel about Tea Boy."

Jack looked away. "Point made. Shall we?"

**AN: This is a short link piece because I am off to Cardiff for a few days of frolicks and Sex, Wales and Anarchy 3...I think Gareth owes me a pint anyway. I am sure I will see some of you there even if I don't know who you are...**

**THANK YOU FOR SUCH WONDERFUL FEEDBACK... Next chapter will be a cat fest... because what would we be without them?**


	11. Chapter 11

**JUPITER PART ELEVEN**

Jack watched worriedly as Ianto settled into an uneasy sleep. They had moved him from the autopsy bay to the isolab with as little fuss as possible but the manhandling of his weakened body had left the younger man crying with exhaustion and pain. Owen had added a heavy sedative to the mixture of drugs already going into his IV and finally left Jack to sit with the younger man until he had settled into sleep. Tosh was busy bustling about the room in a remarkably quiet fashion checking the sensor link to Owen's terminal was working properly and also rigging a monitor so that Ianto could watch the cat cam when he woke up. The only sound was the rustling of her plastic hazmat suit and her gentle footfalls on the tiled floor. Jack could hear her breathing over her throat mic through the ear piece in his helmet. He hated wearing the suit, it was hot and uncomfortable, but also slightly frightening to look at and he found himself sincerely hoping that his youngest team member would be cogent enough when he woke up not be freaked out by it. Owen was probably being over cautious, but it was worth it, things could go wrong in a spectacular way if Ianto turned out to be infectious. Jack didn't want to think about it. There was still the problem of ensuring that the weevil population didn't pose a risk, there also the question of whether or not this was an isolated incident... there were still too many questions and with the Rift the way it was, no certainties. It was like living on top of time bomb for anyone who wasn't blessed with immortality.

Blessed.

Jack pondered that word for a moment. In no way was he blessed.

He was distracted by Tosh's monitor and the sight of five tiny kittens suckling on their evening milk and Jupiter washing their ears with her rough tongue. He could even hear the purring over his head piece. He wished that Ianto was awake to see it, but was wholly aware that his lover was probably better off unconscious for the moment.

Ianto slept for latter half of the day and didn't wake until late into the evening. He blinked open sore eyes and sighed as he thrust the blanket away from his body with his left hand. He felt unbearably hot and he winced with the pain brought on by his movement. Not wanting to risk an onset of nausea he kept his head still, cradled by the pillow.

"Hello."

It was a somewhat tinny rendition of Jack's voice through a speaker to his left.

"Sorry Ianto, Owen has enforced hazmat protocols so we're all suited up for the time being. You hungry?"

Slowly Ianto turned his head aware of the large shapeless bulk of an environment suit seated beside his gurney.

"Not hungry, thirsty and hot though, any chance of a drink?" His throat was raw and his voice ragged to match.

"Owen says you can have diluted juice or water, any preference?"

"Juice, thanks."

Ianto caught sight of the monitor positioned just to the side of his bed and suddenly realised he was looking at his cat. His eyes widened at the sight and a surge of intense emotion welled up in his chest causing his breath to hitch painfully.

"Ow...Oh... Jack look... the kittens."

He heard Jack chuckle and felt gloved fingers gently rubbing at his hand. "Yeah Tosh, well she thought you might to like to see how they are doing."

Ianto wanted to cry but he sucked in a more gentle breath to reel in his feelings. "That's lovely, tell her thank you."

The suit nodded.

"She says you're welcome."

Ianto watched the screen intently oblivious to Jack releasing his hand and going to the hatch to get Ianto's newly arrived drink. A plastic cup with a straw was held aloft.

"You wanna sit up a bit to take this?"

"Yes." Ianto didn't really, he was too sore but he knew he should move into a better position.

"How long have I been in here Jack?"

He was being helped upright, pillows piled behind his back, tubes and cables repositioned out of the way.

"About eight hours, you slept pretty well after the whole moving process. Here can you manage this?"

Ianto held out two shaking hands and Jack decided to assist him with holding the cup.

The cold weak pineapple juice tasted like ambrosia to Ianto's parched tongue and he quickly consume almost half the contents. Jack pulled it back before Ianto was ready for it to be finished.

"Owen says to go gently. You can have some more in a few minutes."

Jack placed the remaining drink out of reach and Ianto went back to looking at the screen.

"So, how am I? What's going to happen to me?"

He heard Jack's sigh over the speaker.

"Owen says you have a viral infection, which is why we have instigated the quarantine. He's sent samples off to UNIT to see if they have anything on their medical database that matches. You're on broad spectrum anti viral and antibiotic drugs, but there hasn't been any significant improvement. You've been brought in here for your protection as well as to avoid any other cases of infection. Though at this point it seems unlikely that the virus is airborn... Owen wants to be certain that there are no risks to any of us."

Ianto nodded. "I see." He faced Jack unable to see his face clearly through the hazmat mask. "What about the staff at the hospital?"

"UNIT are following that up, but there have been no other reported incidents so far."

"That's good." He went back to cat watching for moment. "Jack, what happens if Owen cannot cure this?"

"Ianto, you know that is highly unlikely."

"Just answer the question Jack."

Jack shifted his position slightly. "He believes that if you survive you could be left with serious brain damage, the virus is tracking through your nerves, you may already be experiencing some loss of sensation and functionality."

Ianto sighed. "If I don't make it Jack, I know a cover story will have to be made to explain my death to my family, whatever that ends up being, would you be the one to tell my sister please?"

Jack didn't hesitate. "If that's what you want."

Ianto nodded. "It is, and I need you to take care of the cats, make sure they are homed properly, especially Jupiter. My will is on record, the details haven't changed, my sister's kids get everything."

"Ianto, that's being a bit pre-emptive. Can you at least try to be more positive about this."

Another nod. "I just want it clear. I won't it mention again." He kept his gaze focussed on the screen. "They really are rather cute. Have you named them yet?"

Jack was glad of the subject change. "Gwen has called one of them pancake, but I think you should be the one to name them, you're good at naming things."

Ianto smiled. "Uhm, well Tosh named Jupiter, I shall give it some thought." He failed to stifle a yawn. "God I'm so tired."

"Hardly surprising, given how sick Owen tells me you are, come on lets get you settled back down so you can rest."

Ianto reluctantly allowed Jack to get him laying back down and snuggled into the covers again.

"Jack wouldn't it be best if I was in a hospital? I mean there's not exactly enough of us here for one of you to be looking after me."

Ianto found his fingers tightly wrapped in a gloved hand. "I want you here. Owen wants you here so he can keep an eye and run his tests. We'll manage Ianto, we have state of the art gear and you'll have your friends around you. I'm not certain I trust UNIT with your life and we can't hand you over to the NHS, not that I would anyway."

Ianto nodded. "Ok. I just don't want any of you put at risk because there aren't enough of you out in the field."

Jack was smiling sadly and Ianto could not see it. "Always thinking about everyone else. We can get some help out there if we need it. Right now Owen and someone called Dr Ranjan are working to fix you and that's our first priority, ok?"

"It shouldn't be Jack. The Rift has to take precedence."

"Let me be the judge of that. Now rest up. All the monitors are on so just call out if you need anything. Tosh will be down here shortly to watch over you for a couple of hours." Jack patted the bed covers and then stood up. "Good night."

"Night Jack." Ianto focussed his attention back to the screen showing his new kittens, Jupiter had left the basket, clearly fed up of her five hungry charges.

**AN: I know I am sorry it took ages but I caught the head cold from hell straight after Sex Wales Anarchy III and my head was full of snot... thought you'd like that image... Anyway SWAIII was very cool, Blue Gillespie rocked and Gareth was as charming as ever.**


	12. Chapter 12

**JUPITER PART TWELVE**

Dr Amir Ranjan was grateful to be relieved of the burden of his case as he stepped unsteadily from the train. Jack automatically held out a hand to the elderly man's elbow as he steadied himself with his walking cane.

"Thank you Captain."

Jack smiled. "You're welcome. I'm parked just out front. I'm sorry Dr Harper isn't here to meet you, but he was reluctant to leave our patient, Ianto has deteriorated quite a bit over the last few hours."

"Well then we'd best get going, and be careful with that case, the contents are very delicate."

Jack nodded, feeling ten years old, Amir had always made him feel like a child even when they had been sleeping together 50 years before.

"So how are you Amir?"

The white haired Asian grinned up at him, his dark eyes sparkling with no small measure of mischief. "Old and cranky and sincerely wishing I had the energy to slap you upside of the head. You should have called me in much sooner Jack, I thought you were smarter than that."

Jack opened up the passenger door of the SUV and then carefully placed Amir's case on the back seat.

"Hey, I'm not a doctor and to be honest we weren't really aware that there was even a problem until three days after the incident."

Amir struggled into his seat shooing away Jack's attempts to assist him. "You're getting sloppy, this would never have happened at the Wharf. Who is this Ianto Jones anyway, the name's familiar?"

Jack got in behind the wheel. "He's my archivist come indispensable right hand man."

Amir rolled his eyes. "Oh Allah, you're shagging him aren't you?"

Jack shrugged. "It's not that Amir." He responded a little defensively. "Ianto's one of my team. He used to be at Canary Wharf actually." The ignition was keyed. "Welcome to Cardiff, by the way."

Amir took in the view of a dull grey sky and threatening rain. "Lovely I'm sure."

"So can you help Ianto?"

It was Amir's turn to shrug as he watched Cardiff city pass him by. "We'll see. You're medic has been most helpful and very thorough so... well, we'll see. Ianto Jones...now I remember him, a polite boy as I recall, worked in secure archiving, spoke very beautifully. Mind you, the Welsh always do, don't they?"

Jack couldn't argue with that. "So you've met him before?"

"Oh, yes. He was helping me go through one of the databases when I was researching about... it must be three years ago now... my goodness the time passes and now I think about it he's probably your type. Polite, passive and tidy."

Jack laughed. "You have no idea Amir."

The old man turned his head to look at Jack. "It is good to see you Jack, and I will do all I can for your young man."

Their eyes met. "I know you will."

Jack quickly returned his attention to the road. "I'm really not ready to lose him, we're just starting to get to know one another. Ianto's had a tough time lately... I just..."

"I understand Jack."

TWTWTWTWTWTWWT

Ianto was glad of the cat cam, more than he could say really. It was the only thing keeping him sane. It gave him something to focus on between the burning fever, the vomiting and the pain. Owen had been fussing and whilst he had relaxed the hazmat precautions a little, Ianto was still forced to put up with his colleagues in masks, plastic disposable suits and gloves. Everything smelt of alcohol and latex, the filtered air was dry and irritating and even the monitor's brightness and the lighting had had to be turned down because he was losing his tolerance of light. He couldn't stand to be touched because it hurt, but he craved being held. No one did hold him of course except Jack, who had immediately stopped when he realised it was hurting Ianto. The Welshman just lay there amid soft bedding feeling absolutely miserable. At this moment in time Owen was beside the bed swapping an empty IV bag for a full one and then emptying the urine catheter bag and logging the measurement on the chart that sat attached to the end of the gurney. Ianto watched through heavy lidded, dry, irritated eyes.

"How's the pain?" The chart was lowered and Ianto could just make out the concern in Owen's dark eyes, the mask over his nose and mouth giving his voice a slightly fuzzy quality.

"8 out of 10." Was scratched out over his roar throat.

"All over?"

Ianto managed a small nod.

"Ok. I'm gonna top up your morphine. Jack's just gone to the station to collect Dr Ranjan, he's bringing some stuff with him and will explain the treatment program to you and to me because I haven't a clue what he is planning." Owen disappeared from Ianto's line of sight and a few moments later he felt a rush of calm wash over him as the morphine was added into his IV line.

"Thanks Owen."

"No problem mate." Owen set up the oxygen and got it going, concerned that Ianto's sats were too low. "Here you go mate, just a bit of air." The mask was carefully settled over Ianto's face and the Welshman's eyelids shuttered down as sleep stole him away. Owen sighed and turned, momentarily distracted by the sight of a kitten being pinned down and washed by its mother. He couldn't help but smile and hoped that Ianto was finding some relief in watching the cat video that Tosh had set up. Good old Tosh. He then carefully moved away the sheet that covered Ianto's chest. The dressings needed changing again. Owen hated doing it, because the smell was terrible but he didn't want the girls to have to deal with it for Ianto's sake as well as theirs. He and Jack had been taking it in turns because on the times when Ianto was awake it left him crying with the pain. It was usually best to do these things straight after a dose of morphine because the stuff usually put Ianto to sleep.

Owen was half way through the task when a suited Jack, followed by a suited short Indian man stepped into the chamber, the glass door hissing to a close behind them. Owen looked up and raised his hands.

"Give me a moment?"

Jack however stepped forwards. "I'll finish this, you two doctors do your talking."

Owen backed up a pace with a nod, he pulled off his gloves and binned them, cleaned his hands with alcohol and immediately donned a fresh set from a box that sat on the portable drugs cabinet. He finally outstretched a hand.

"Dr Ranjan, thank you for coming. I'm Dr Owen Harper and this is Ianto Jones, patient zero."

Amir shook the medic's hand and then shuffled to Ianto's bedside, he'd had to leave his cane outside of the containment chamber.

"Call me Amir. Right, let us get straight to work. I need to see his latest readings."

Owen handed him the chart from the end of the bed...


	13. Chapter 13

**JUPITER PART THIRTEEN**

The team gathered in the boardroom with the exception of Gwen who was down in the isolab watching over Ianto. Dr Amir Ranjan sat at the head of the table and Tosh passed around cups of tea before sitting to Owen's left. Owen got straight down to business.

"So Dr Ranjan what's the plan?"

Amir clasped his arthritic hands on the table and glanced from Owen to a very worried looking Jack.

"We only have one option open to us. The virus that Mr Jones has contracted is untreatable by conventional means. I have seen it before, back in the 1960s, though how it came to be is not on record. For some reason the information was removed from the Torchwood One database in 1965. The only way to deal with this illness is to fight it by infecting Mr Jones with another virus. I have brought it with me in my containment case..."

Owen raised a hand in protest. "Whoa... wait a minute, there's no way he'll be able to cope with that, his immune system is seriously compromised as it is."

Amir nodded. "Quite so, but it is his only option. Even with the advancements made over the last forty years, there is no cure on Earth for this, no vaccine... no miracle wonder drug. Both Torchwood and UNIT have been too hell bent on putting their money into weapons and defence over the years and it is only recently that any funds have been diverted to bio research, partly because the technology simply hasn't been up to the task."

"Ok... so what happens if we do nothing?" Jack asked not wanting them to get off track.

The look on Amir's and Owen's faces said enough. "He's got two to three days at best if things carry on the way they are. He's losing the battle Jack and Ianto knows it." Owen replied.

Amir was nodding in agreement. "Dr Harper is quite correct in his assessment. If we are going to treat him, then we have to do it now."

Jack scrubbed his hands down his face. "Owen are you in agreement?"

The Londoner nodded. "There aren't any other options and we don't have time to piss about testing what Dr Ranjan is telling us. I brought him here Jack because he IS the world's expert on non terrestrial illnesses."

"Ok." Jack got to his feet. "Get the things ready you need and I will go down and explain to Ianto what we are going to do."

"Jack?" Tosh spoke up so quietly that Jack almost missed it, he froze.

"Yes Tosh?"

"Surely we should be asking Ianto, not telling him?"

Jack sagged his shoulders and hitched a faint smile. "Don't worry Tosh."

TWTWTWTWTWTW

Gwen immediately vacated the seat next to Ianto's gurney when Jack stepped into the iso chamber. She smiled, even though he couldn't see it through her mask.

"He's just woken up."

Jack nodded. "Thanks Gwen, could you go up and see if Owen needs any help?"

"Sure." She knew she was being dismissed.

Jack settled himself in the chair and leaned forward grasping Ianto's hand. Tired darkened eyes met his and Jack couldn't help but sigh with worry.

"Hey there, how are feeling?" He lowered his voice.

Ianto managed to hitch a faint smile but was unable to speak, but Jack felt his fingers move against his.

"Can you understand me Ianto?"

The Welshman nodded, just, his gaze locked on Jack's.

"Ok. Amir and Owen want to try some treatment, are you ok with that?"

Another nod.

"Right, you have to know Ianto, it's not like regular treatment. Amir says the only way to deal with it is to fight fire with fire, so you have to be strong and hold on, ok?"

"I'll try Jack." It was barely a whisper.

"Good..." Jack looked up as Owen and Amir came into the room, Owen baring a tray with two loaded syringes. Jack turned back to Ianto.

"I trust Amir, Ianto. He's the best and so is Owen, so you are in good hands."

Ianto just about managed to squeeze at his fingers.

"Don't worry Jack. It'll be ok. Can you make sure someone feeds my cats and... and I haven't paid my gas bill yet, will you sort it?"

Jack shook his head and smiled. "Yeah, I'll sort it." He bent forwards and pressed his forehead to Ianto's. "Hold on Ianto, please hold on." He whispered against ianto's skin.

Ianto closed his eyes.

"Come along now Jack. Owen and I have work to do." Amir's hand came down on his shoulder. "He'll be fine."

Jack looked up at his old friend and one time lover. "Keep him safe for me."

Amir nodded. "We will, now go on, you have a Rift to guard."

Reluctantly Jack left the room.

TWTWTWTWTWTW

After changing back into his clothes he made his way up to the Hub proper and was confronted by Gwen and Tosh.

"How is he?" Tosh asked resting her hand on Jack's arm as came and perched himself on the edge of Gwen's desk.

"He's in good hands Tosh if Amir and Owen can save him, they will. Now, what's the Rift predictor got lined up for us?"

Tosh went to her desk and tapped at the keypad at her terminal. "We could be in for a busy night, there's a spike predicted for about 10pm."

Jack glanced at his watch, it was past midday now. "Ok, ladies go home and get some rest, be back in for 8 this evening. Tosh could you stop by Ianto's flat and check on the livestock?"

She was pulling on her leather coat. "Of course, I could do with a cat cuddle."

Gwen picked up her bag. "Mind if I come with? Rhys won't be home at this time of day and cat therapy does sound rather nice."

Jack smiled at them. "Just make sure you put your feet up for a couple of hours ok?"

The women both grinned at him and then Gwen on impulse gave him a hug. "Don't worry about Ianto and let us know if anything happens." She kissed his cheek and stepped back.

Jack smiled. "Go on, disappear before I change my mind and give you my paperwork."

The girls did not need telling twice.

TWTWTWTW

Tosh cautiously keyed Ianto's front door, worried in case there was a kitten on the other side. She eased it open to the sound of strident yowling. The girls stepped in and Gwen closed the door at their backs just as Jupiter shot out of the lounge and came to greet them. Tosh dropped her bag and gathered the massive cat into her arms and picked her up. The purring started straight away.

"Oh dear you poor thing, you're missing Ianto aren't you... come on lets get you some Tuna."

Tosh knew her way around Ianto's flat and soon had Jupiter lapping up her fish treat from her special bowl on the kitchen bench, once done she went into to lounge only to find Gwen on the sofa with five tiny kittens on her lap. They were all purring and Gwen was beaming at them. Tosh came and sat beside her and immediately two babies were carefully plopped onto her lap. Tosh gently wrapped her slender hands over them.

"They are just adorable, aren't they?" Gwen cooed.

Tosh smiled. "So which is pancake then?"

...


	14. Chapter 14

**JUPITER PART FOURTEEN**

Tosh hadn't been exaggerating and Jack had been forced to leave Ianto solely under Amir's care. There was a huge Rift spike lighting up the skies over Lavernock like a cheap Christmas tree and showering out dozens of pieces of what turned out to be debris, most likely from some kind of exploded space craft. The team worked right the way through the night and well into the following day cleaning up. By the time they were done they were jaded and thoroughly fed up. Owen was eager to get back to the Hub, having heard nothing from the visiting doctor. He had been extremely unhappy about leaving Ianto, but Jack had been firm, the business of Torchwood had to take priority, after all it was what they were paid for. Owen and Gwen had both been ready to argue the point, but Toshiko shut them both up with a simple comment.

"It's what Ianto would want, Amir will take care of him and Jack is right we do have a job to do, for the greater good, the last thing any of us want is some random child picking up a nice shiny piece of potentially deadly debris."

Jack was eternally grateful to her in that moment, because leaving Ianto was the last thing he had wanted to do.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Amir had settled himself in the chair at Ianto's cot side. Having administered the two doses of what he had dubbed as the 'countervirus' he had simply sat and watched and waited. He knew he was taking a huge risk with Ianto's life. This method of treatment was experimental at best and part of him was well aware that he was likely doing more harm than good. Whilst the Welshman had remained deeply asleep he had not fallen into a coma. Occasionally Amir rose to unsteady feet and gently dabbed Ianto's hot skin down with a cooling wet flannel, it probably made little difference but Ianto had whispered a thank you none the less. The night slid by, slowly and quietly and Amir's patient barely moved. Amir also contented himself with watching the muted cat cam footage for a while. The doctor was concerned that they would need to change Ianto's position when the others returned. Hadn't Owen assured him that the bed was designed to prevent pressure soreness? It certainly looked comfortable enough.

Amir glanced at his watch and sighed. 3am. He looked up to see pale blue eyes blinking at him.

"Mr Jones, would you like some water?"

Ianto managed the smallest movement of his head. "Yes, thank you. Where is Owen?"

Carefully Amir got up and using the chair to support him for a moment before he shuffled over to get the water. His back was sore, they joys of getting old. It was some minutes before he was back at Ianto's side holding a straw to his lips.

"The others are dealing with a Rift alert, funny how some things never change over the years."

Ianto swallowed down a little of the fluid, but couldn't take any more so he moved his head away.

"Thank you. Jack said you were going to try a new treatment, is it working?"

Amir put the bottle aside and sat back down taking Ianto's wrist to feel the quality of his pulse, it was weak and thread.

"It is too early to tell, another few hours and we'll have some idea how things stand."

Ianto appeared to digest this. "Don't let me become a vegetable; I'd rather die than have to be cared for for the rest of my life. If it comes to that I want you to finish it."

Amir slid his fingers down and gripped Ianto's hot sweaty hand. "You know I cannot do that, but I will certainly advise Jack of your wishes. However you must not think like that, you stand a very good chance."

Ianto actually chuckled. "You are a lousy liar, doctor. I'm not stupid: you would not have been brought here otherwise."

"Touche. I can see why Jack likes you. Alright Mr Jones I won't lie to you. The treatment is a risk in itself, but so is crossing the street or getting behind the wheel of your car and you do these things every day without thinking about it."

"Not from now on I won't."

Amir smiled. "Good. Now try some more water, if nothing else it will help relieve the dryness in your throat."

Ianto obliged and accepted another sip.

"So, you and Jack?"

"It was half a century ago."

"Tell me anyway."

"It was the mid sixties, the age of free love and well what is a young man to do in such times? I came to Torchwood, I met Jack and we enjoyed one another's company until I transferred to London. There was some mission that Jack went on in Scotland and after it he was a changed man. I never did get it out of him, but after that he just lost interest in everything for a while, including would you believe sex."

More water was offered and Ianto took it. "Was it serious between you two?"

Amir laughed heartily. "No, never that. I had an arranged marriage ahead of me, I just wanted some fun before that and Jack was intriguing. He watched my back for me too and we just got on really well, shared the same sense of humour. He always tried to do the right thing, always believed in the good in people... until he went to Scotland." He looked down at Ianto. "Jack means a lot to you?"

"Yes he does."

"Good, I am glad he has someone who cares, too many times people have run out on him because of what he is, I trust you will not do this?"

"I don't want to, though I might not get a choice in the matter." Ianto closed his eyes when a gentle hand was rested on his head.

"You must have faith Mr Jones."

"I never was much of a one for religion."

Amir petted his damp hair. "Faith in yourself, God will take care of the rest."


	15. Chapter 15

**JUPITER PART FIFTEEN**

Jack drove like a lunatic back to the HUB, having dropped Gwen and Tosh to their homes he was impatient to get back and Owen winced as he took another corner at speed through a red light.

"Jack I am not going to be any use to Ianto dead, slow down for Christ's sake!"

Jack obliged, just. "Not like you to get arsey about my driving."

"Not like you to be quite so reckless, you twat."

Jack smiled relishing the insult, a conversation with Owen was never worth having unless he insulted you.

"Well things can't be bad, Amir would have called otherwise."

Owen wasn't convinced. "I hope you are right about that."

"I trust him Owen, he's a good man even if he is with UNIT these days."

"His record says he was with Torchwood before."

Jack nodded momentarily thinking back over fifty years. "Yeah, but he's always been one of the good guys, one of the rare few who has held on to his family and his faith over the years."

"After shagging you? That's gotta be a first."

Jack didn't argue the point. "He knows what he is doing."

"It's why I invited him in Jack. At least with him trying something Ianto stands some chance of survival." Owen responded feeling more than a little inadequate.

Jack smiled recognising Owen's sense of failure. "You did the right thing Owen."

"Yeah, lets hope so."

Jack swung the SUV into the parking garage and the brakes squeaked to a halt. "You go down to the iso lab. I'll sort this out and be with you shortly."

Owen didn't need telling twice as he unclipped his seatbelt.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Amir looked away from the cat cam monitor, the moment Owen stepped into the isolab. He raised a finger to his lips and pointed to a sleeping Ianto. Owen nodded and approached quietly picking up the chart from end of Ianto's cot. He scanned over Amir's recordings and sighed.

"He's getting worse."

Amir nodded. "To be expected initially. He did take some sips of water earlier but he has been deeply asleep for about three hours now. I've got the oxygen at 70% because his sats dropped but that appears to have stabilised and his blood gas analysis was pretty much what I expected at this juncture."

"You look tired Amir, I'll take over why don't you go and get some rest."

Amir nodded. "I've prepped the respirator, just in case you need to intubate him. Is Jack here?"

Owen nodded. "You'll find him up in the main Hub, can you remember the way?"

"You forget I used to work here, the geography of this place hasn't altered since it was built I suspect."

"Yeah, probably. Look, thanks for staying with him, I know I am a bit of a sceptic but..."

"Doctor, believe me I am just as concerned as you are, this is not a tried and tested method of treatment and no matter how old one is or how long one is a doctor, losing a patient is... well I am sure you understand."

Owen did, only too well.

Sometime later and Amir found Jack coming up from the archive. The Captain offered up a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and Amir gestured him to the couch underneath the tiled logo.

"Sit Jack, we need to talk."

Jack slumped down beside his old friend and leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.

"How's Ianto doing?"

"He's critical, but stable. He's a strong man."

A sighed escaped Jacks lips. "Yeah, he is that. What is it you wanted to talk about?"

Amir rested his gnarled hands on his knees.

"Ianto asked that he not be resussitated if he suffers significant brain damage, to quote, he doesn't want to be a vegetable or reliant on someone to care for him. He asked me to finish the job and I told him that I could not and that I would tell you those were his wishes."

Jack squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed at his forehead. "Typical Ianto, never wanting to be a burden to anyone, always looking after everyone except himself."

"Given the nature of his illness he could not be released into the care of the NHS anyway, but naturally UNIT would take care of him now that TW1 is gone." Amir assured him.

Jack shook his head and gave his friend a smile, again it looked and felt false. "No on both counts. I know Ianto, he'd never forgive me for that. Don't worry if it comes to that I will take care of it, I owe him that much at least."

"You shouldn't have to Jack."

"He's my responsibility Amir, if we can't make him well enough to take care of himself then whatever Ianto asks for he will get. You know he survived Canary Wharf?"

Amir shook his head. "No, I did not. I heard stories about what happened there."

"It was bad, but you know the most extraordinary thing about Ianto, is that not only did he survive, he rescued his half converted girlfriend and a conversion unit and brought them here and snuck them into my base and hid them for nearly 6 months before he was discovered... He was trying to save her. It was all he wanted, his girlfriend in one piece, human again. The lengths he went to. I've never seen courage like it, even during the two wars I had to live through here. It wasn't one of those moments of heroism, saving a wounded man from a hail of bullets or a burning truck. It was love so deep, so pure and he could not see past it. It almost destroyed him and even braver still was the fact that he somehow managed to carry on after it all blew up in his face. He is extraordinary..." Jack sighed again. "He sacrificed the greater part of his soul for her and it has taken him a long time to rebuild it and I haven't helped him. In fact I let him down, in so many ways. So if my last act of kindness toward him means pulling the plug, that is what I will do."

"Then let us hope it doesn't come to that. Now if you don't mind, I am need of a nap, I'm not as young as I used to be." Amir reached his hand across and patted Jack's knee. "And no I can't manage the ladder down to the bunk under the office."

Jack sat up and looked fondly into Amir's crinkled face. "I'll drive you to Ianto's place. He has a spare room in his flat and I know a large ginger cat who will be very pleased with the company."

Amir was grinning. "I've been watching her on the monitor, I look forward to meeting her."


	16. Chapter 16

**JUPITER PART SIXTEEN**

_It was a lovely day and Ianto sat at the dining table in his flat scanning through the paper's situations vacant listings whilst munching on a slice of toast. Once again there was little to grab his interest and he certainly didn't want to work in a warehouse, thank God the Torchwood payoff had been substantial. Jupiter was batting the corner of the paper with her paw and Ianto finally lay it down and focussed his attention on rubbing her chin and then her ears. Jupiter purred loudly nudging her face into Ianto's hand and dribbling contentedly as she flopped on to her side and stuck her paws in the air, inviting a rub to her belly. Ianto obliged and the purring increased vigorously, paws and claws flexing with happiness._

"_You daft cat, what would I do without you?"_

_Ianto started at sudden pressure on his shoulder and he looked up to see his father staring down at him with cold blue eyes._

"_You always were weak willed, what is it with you and being afraid to get your hands dirty and do an honest job?"_

_Ianto's gaze held. "Why are you here?" His hand still absently caressing the cat's belly, but the purring had stopped and Ianto could hear a faint, low rumbling growl._

_Ifan Jones strolled around the table and took a seat. Ianto watched him._

"_You built your life on a lie Ianto Jones. You always lied about everything and look at where it has left you, lying in a sleep you can't hope to wake from. You always were pathetic. Look at you now hiding here with a bloody cat and a fantasy life you will never have with that queer bloke you're so stuck on. Why don't you just die son and give up now, while you can, then you don't have to face the truth about yourself."_

_Jupiter leapt from the table and ran away and when Ianto looked back to his father he was facing Jack._

"_He's right you know. I can never be what you want me to be. I could never trust you again after the whole Lisa thing and then you betraying me again when Abbadon came. You're too unreliable. You're pathetic actually. A simpering minion with no true value, why would you think I could love that?"_

_Tears flooded and Ianto closed his eyes. "It's not true I know you don't feel that way about me, Jack."_

"_I'd rather have Gwen, but she's determined to have Rhys, Jeez what a waste and yet it's obvious she wants me, she worships me."_

_Ianto rose from his place, no longer in his flat but standing in the Hub. He looked down to see a basket of five kittens in his hands._

"_Awww Ianto they are beautiful." Tosh exclaimed._

_He thrust the box at her. "Here take them. I'm inadequate as a parent. I'll never be able to have children." Ianto turned away and fled to the bay._

_The wind was blowing around him and he could see by the water tower Jack in his coat, his arms around Gwen._

"_You will never know love Eye Candy, not from him. Jackie boy is as inconstant as the wind."_

_John Hart was at his side, holding out a hand to him. "I can show you the stars Jones and believe me I will love you, every inch of you."_

_Ianto looked down at the hand with disdain._

"_This is not who I am..._

...is not who I am... please go away... no... not ready."

Jack sat up in his seat and leant closer, trying to gage what it was Ianto was saying. He gently ran his hand through Ianto's hair.

"Sssshhh, it's ok Ianto, it's ok." He whispered soothingly.

Ianto's eye lids fluttered half open and his blue orbs were dark with confusion. Jack's gaze flicked between the monitors and Ianto's face and Ianto flatlined...

Owen rolled off the couch and swore spectacularly as Jack's panicked tones filtered through to his brain via his ear piece. He'd only been asleep for five minutes, but he ran down to the iso lab as fast as he could.

Three quarters of an hour later and Ianto was on the life support, unable to breath for himself, but discomfortingly conscious. Jack really couldn't believe that that was a good thing, but Owen seemed happy that Ianto appeared to be aware of his environment and what was going on.

"Shit... shit. I was really hoping he'd be able to hold his own, but his lungs are full of fluid." Owen was just putting in a chest drain. Ianto was watching and Jack was stood to one side, one of Ianto's hands clasped in his.

"Is that supposed to happen?"

Owen talked as he worked. "The counter virus is similar to the Marburg Flu variant, this is a side effect, sorry symptom of the condition. It causes respiratory failure I've no way of knowing now whether or not Ianto will be able to breathe independently once I've cleared his lungs."

Jack sighed. "I see, so how long do we keep going with this?"

Owen shrugged. "I'm not certain it is a discussion we should be having in front of Ianto."

Jack felt Ianto squeeze at his fingers. "Ianto wants to know."

Owen was silent for a moment as he finished his task, checking the drainage tube was working.

"I don't know Jack. Like Amir said... I really don't know."

Jack carefully disengaged his hand and helped Owen get Ianto settled onto his back and Owen began changing the dressings on Ianto's chest and shoulder.

"The wounds aren't looking any worse so at the least the antibiotics are finally doing their job, that secondary infection should clear up now."

"He still feels too hot." Jack commented handing over a fresh dressing pack.

"He is still too hot, that'll be the viral infection. We'll towel him down again and I'll give him IV paracetamol, hopefully that'll help a bit."

Ianto watched his colleagues move around him in a haze of blurry vision and fuzzy speech. He could make sense of some of it but he was frightened now with the tube jammed down his throat and he didn't want to go back to sleep. Finally he was left lying semi reclined and he could feel the welcome cooling of damp towels on his burning skin. Somehow he managed a faint smile and found the strength to raise his hand. Cool fingers gripped it immediately and there was Jack looking down into his face with a bright grin. Ianto could tell it was for show, Jack looked exhausted.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWT

Amir woke up to the sound of purring in his right ear and he rolled over and discovered not one but six cats on the expanse of bed beside him. He marvelled at the fact that Jupiter had carried her babies one by one and brought the whole family to nestle up beside him. He found himself chuckling and liked the idea that one of his grandchildren would absolutely adore having a cat for her birthday in a few weeks time. He had slept deeply and well and discovered it was 9am and that there was a text message waiting for him from Owen.

'Tosh will collect you at 10am. Ianto's lungs packed up, on respirator now, but conscious and stable.'

Amir sighed, he had expected this and hoped it wouldn't happen, but at least the boy was conscious. He carefully got out of the soft bed and made his way to the bathroom which was as neat and clean as the rest of the flat. The large orange cat followed him and Amir remembered Jack's request of the night before. 'Open a tin of tuna for the cat for her breakfast'. Jack had already topped up the crunchies dispenser. Amir happily diverted to the kitchen and did as Jack had asked.

Jupiter purred her way through every mouthful and then sat and washed her whiskers afterwards.


	17. Chapter 17

**JUPITER PART SEVENTEEN**

Owen always found it difficult to sleep on the couch, it wasn't that it was an uncomfortable couch. It was more the ambient noise of the Hub, mainly Tosh's computers humming away in the background and the occasional cawing from Myfanwy up in the rafters. Somehow these sounds never served to comfort him when he was trying to rest. He much preferred to drift off to sleep to the sounds of club music or maybe even Radio One. Jack had sent him away as soon as it was clear that they had made Ianto as comfortable as possible. He shuffled about trying to get himself settled. The pillow just wouldn't go right, covers kept sliding off and that bloody pterodactyl was just too damn noisy. I Owen tossed and turned frustrated by the fact that sleep kept on invading him. Ultimately, he knew it was his worry about his friend and colleague that kept him awake. It seemed unlikely that Ianto was going to survive, and there was very little he could do about it. This was a situation that Owen found untenable, as a doctor he felt that he had failed his patient and as his friend the whole situation just made him feel guilty. It wasn't often that Owen thought of Ianto as a friend but at times like these he realised that's exactly what his younger colleague was. Owen covered his head with the pillow, desperate for some rest, he even contemplated hi-jacking the bunk under the office, but he wasn't certain what he would find down there in Jack's lair so he decided to give it a miss. Eventually though sleep stole him away, his exhaustion getting the better of him finally.

Jack was fussing with the covers. They had finally got Ianto settled. It was proving to be a long night, and Jack suspected that it would not end well. He carefully tucked the sheets down the sides of the gurney and when he was satisfied that Ianto was comfortable he sat down in the chair beside the bed. Ianto watched him through half closed eyes, and although unable to speak through the breathing apparatus it was clear to Jack that he was trying to communicate something. Jack lent forward and grasped his hand.

"I know you're not feeling so good right now, but I need you to hold on. You are such a strong person and I believe that you can make it through this. But you have to be strong hold on to the fact that we all need you, and that you would be missed if anything happened to you. I know sometimes you may not feel like hanging on, and God knows we haven't made it easy for you, but please believe me when I tell you that I would be lost without you. It's not about the work that you do here, although that is a great part of it. Mostly it's about the fact that you understand me, you see me. You are not blinded by my supposed charm. You recognise that I am just a human man like you, and that I have my weaknesses, and I make mistakes. I know there have been times when both of us have done things that we regret but always we have been able to forgive one another and move on, and learn and trust. I can't imagine being here without you by my side. And can you imagine Owen, without his coffee, I mean the world would just fall apart. And so would Torchwood for that matter. You look after us, not just me. You look after all of us. It's the little things, like the coffee, catering, the driving, clean laundry, and the bloody paperwork. It's always done, and I never have to ask, you just know, and you just do. Don't let go, Ianto. Please Ianto. Don't let go."

Jack could feel Ianto's fingers, weakly close around his. He looked into the younger man's eyes and saw the understanding there in the watery blue. It was the hardest thing to see and Jack had to swallow down his anxiety. Over the years he had become so accustomed to losing people, but it never ceased to amaze him how much it hurt at the prospect that someone he cared about, would die.

"That bloody dinosaur has been in such a bad mood over the last few days, you just wouldn't believe it. She even turned her nose up at the Salmon that Owen bought from the supermarket. Gwen has been lamenting the lack of chocolate biscuits in the kitchen, and Toshiko has been quieter than normal, she is very worried about you. I know we're not always very demonstrative with our feelings. If anything you're probably the worst of us, but it's so quiet in the hub at the moment we are just missing you that's all. I don't know what else to say Ianto and I could sit here all night babbling on and not making any sense. Which of course is probably just fine, because you're quiet and you can't argue with me. Not that I like it this way, of course, you always got some sarcastic quip, I miss that shit."

It was very difficult, not being able to respond to Jack's words and Ianto, felt his heart breaking, because he wanted so much to explain to him, just how determined he was not to let go and to survive. For Ianto, it wasn't about torchwood or the rest of the world. It was simply the fact that he did not want to leave Jack behind to cope with things any longer than he had to on his own. Ianto could not comprehend exactly what eternity meant but he had a pretty good idea that it could be good if it was to be lived alone, and whilst perhaps he did not have Jack's love. Jack certainly had his heart. He tried very hard to squeeze Jack's hand to let him know that he understood.

Dr Amir was delighted to discover that he had not received any word of Ianto's death overnight. As arranged, Gwen collected him first thing in the morning. He felt refreshed and ready to face the day, and hoping it would not be Ianto's last. As he left Ianto's flat he patted Ianto's cat goodbye. Jupiter was very concerned to see him go. She did not like the fact that many hours had been spent without her servant in the house. She wondered where he was and meowed plaintively when the visitor was leaving. Jupiter accepted the fuss that she was offered and rubbed gently at the fingers that tickled her chin. And she was comforted by the soft chuckle and gentle words, as the man departed closing the door behind him. When the visitor had gone she sauntered back to the bedroom, hopped up on to the bed and went to wash her kittens. It surprised her just how big they were getting and how soon she would have to show them all the new things that they would need to learn. The kittens were rather demanding, and she was looking forward to having Ianto at home to share them with. No sooner had she lay down than her babies were clambering all over her flank vying for the best spot and mewling for their milk. She would have preferred to share Ianto's bed, but this one would have to do.


	18. Chapter 18

**JUPITER PART 18**

The days slid by with monotonous regularity, the rift did not let up for one moment. It was so busy, and the team found themselves immersed in the world of Torchwood, and very little time could be put aside to spend with Ianto. Jack did not like leaving him for long periods of time, and often Owen was forced to stay behind when he would rather be out, making sure his colleagues were safe. Owen and Jack had argued a couple of times about protocols regarding having a medic on the field. But Jack was adamant that Ianto not be left alone at all, and Amir could not stay with him all of the time. It wasn't that Owen disagreed. It was just that he did not feel comfortable letting the girls go out without backup of a medical nature, and things could too easily go wrong, they all knew that. Jack was also unhappy about the risk, they were stretched too thin, it was as simple as that and he realised there would be a time when they would have to make some decisions about Ianto's future. Throughout this time Ianto remained conscious, but unable to breathe by himself. He was totally reliant on life support, and Jack could see in his eyes that Ianto was starting to give up hope. Each day, the young man's eyes, lost just a little more of their vibrancy and Jack could see him slipping further away from them. For his part in all this Amir did everything he could to make Ianto as comfortable as possible. He was still reasonably optimistic that Ianto would make a recovery of sorts; he reasoned that if Ianto was going to die he would have died by now. However, there was no significant improvement in his condition, and it was becoming clear that the situation could not remain as it was. Ianto was in need of constant attention and Torchwood Three could not provide that. Amir had discussed with Jack, the possibility of having Ianto transferred to a UNIT hospital, and Jack had flatly refused to even consider this option. Amir could understand his distrust, the relationship between Torchwood and UNIT had never been good, but in his view there was no other choice for Ianto. Finally, a compromise had been reached, and Amir had been allowed to call upon the services of two UNIT nurses, provided they took retcon when the job was done. The rest of the Torchwood team had heaved a collective sigh of relief once the arrangements had been made. The following day, two UNIT officers arrived at the Hub to take over the care of their colleague. Jack was anxious that the disturbance would upset Ianto, but the younger man seemed to be relatively unaware of what was going on…..

_It was never an easy thing to wake up in a strange place to strange sounds, to strange smells and the feeling of disorientation and deep anxiety. Ianto was accustomed to many things that were strange, but for some reason, he found this extremely disconcerting, and he did not know what to do. All of his training left him in the moment that he opened his eyes and he felt extremely vulnerable and alone. It wasn't just the fact that he had no idea where he was, it was the fact that he had no idea how he came to be there or why he was there at all. There was no one there to tell him what to do, the absence of his friends, of Jack, was overwhelming and left him tilted off his axis. Jack represented his North Pole, and without that security he hovered on the edge of panic as he gazed about the unfamiliar surroundings. It was a room, precisely square, with dark wooden floors and dark wooden walls. The ceiling was only centimetres above his head, and it was black. Ianto could not determine where the ambient light was coming from, because he could see the walls and floor, but not what made them visible. He looked down at his feet and discovered that he was wearing no shoes and socks. His legs were bare, and on further inspection he discovered that he was completely naked. Somehow, he knew he should feel cold, but he didn't and he wondered at that. It puzzled him no end, because his habitual shyness would never permit him to go anywhere in this state. Part of him considered that this was some random prank that Jack was playing on him, but somehow it didn't seem likely. Ianto raised his hands and gazed at them realising that they were trembling, not with cold, but with fear. He was used to being afraid. He had been afraid for all the months that he had been hiding Lisa. He had also been afraid the entire time that Jack had been away with the Doctor. Ianto had always hidden his fear under his suits so that nobody would recognise how he was feeling, because he didn't want to appear weak in front of his friends and colleagues. Ianto was accustomed to hiding many things. He had grown up surrounded by secrets, keeping his own secrets, as well as those of others. Lying became second nature to him, because it was the only way he could survive his childhood. Unfortunately, those lies had merely spread into adult life like a cancer, that he could no longer control. The truth was simply too difficult to explain, let alone confront and Ianto had no desire to face the Demons of his former life. It would all end in this room, deep inside him he knew he would never wake up, and part of him wasn't even sure that he wanted to. One day, his friends would find out what he was really like and he knew he couldn't face the humiliation and having to explain who he really was. Ianto was grateful that his mother had died before seeing him grow into the person that he was now because he knew that he had let her down and broken or promises he had made to her on her deathbed. To his father he was only a failure, and to his sister he was the brother who had turned his back on their lives and pretended that it had never existed in the first place. Ianto found himself wondering why he had woven this spell around himself. His shame of his background was undeniable, but to fabricate an entire new life around himself? It made no sense._

_It took Ianto some moments to realise that Jack was standing before him, but it was not Jack in the way that Ianto remembered him. The familiar long greatcoat was missing, and Jack stood there in a black suit with a black shirt, open at the collar, with his hands shoved into his pockets. Ianto could not meet his eyes when he looked at him, it just didn't feel right to see him like that. What was worse was the fact that he was silent as he stood there staring at him intently. Ianto felt miniscule in his nakedness. He clasped his hands to hide his modesty and looked down at his feet._

_"So what have you got to say for yourself Jones?"_

_Ianto remained silent, what was there left to say?_

_"Come on Ianto, you must have something to say for yourself. I mean all those lies. Did you ever tell me the truth?"_

_"I don't know what the truth is any more Jack. I'm sorry. I really am sorry."_

_"You realise sorry is not good enough? How can any of us trust you? How can you expect me to love you? I don't understand why you're still here Ianto. I mean really, what's the point? Do you like the suit by the way?"_

_"I prefer your coat sir. I didn't ever expect to see you in a suit. Why are you wearing a suit?"_

_Jack sauntered around the square room, seemingly unconcerned by its strangeness._

_"I'm hiding Ianto. I'm doing what you're so good at. How do you like it so far?"_

_"I think I preferred you the way you were, Sir."_

_Ianto finally looked up and met Jack's eyes. He swallowed nervously. "You don't look right the way you are. I know you hide things from me, Jack. I understand, and I accept that you need to keep secrets. But I know that you do not lie to me."_

_"How can you be sure of that? Do you have that much faith in me? That's a very dangerous position to be in Ianto. "_

_"No more dangerous than the situation I'm currently in. I'm dying here, how can things get any worse? It's like I'm in some kind of holding pattern, just waiting for the lights to go out."_

_Jack reached out a hand and Ianto felt warmth of his fingertips against his cheek as his skin was gently caressed. His eyelids fluttered down and Ianto sucked in, a stuttering breath._

_"It's not a matter of waiting. It's a matter of making the final decision, whether or not to turn off the lights. Once the lights go out, there is nothing. And I'm quite sure, that is not what you want…_

…. I know, that is not what you want Ianto. You know, I've already told you that there is nothing on the other side, and I need you to wake up now. I really need to see those blue eyes." Jack sighed as he sat back in the chair at Ianto's bedside. He had sent the nurse out of the room an hour before because he wanted to sit and talk to Ianto alone. His young Welshman had been unconscious for most of the day but Amir had assured him that Ianto was not in a coma. Jack wasn't entirely certain of the difference, but he was comforted by the fact that Amir seemed confident that Ianto was going to recover. His Asian friend had told him to talk to Ianto, and whilst Jack felt a little silly doing it. He would spend the whole night talking, if he thought it would bring Ianto back to him.

Jack looked up in surprise, when Toshiko bustled into the room with a large ginger cat in her arms. Jack couldn't help but grin, and he held out his hands to take Jupiter from her. Toshiko gratefully gave her up and went round the bed and gave Ianto a quick kiss on his forehead.

"I've brought you a visitor. She's been so desperate to see you and I thought you could use the company. It must get pretty boring listening to Jack all the time."

Jack was grinning as Jupiter was purring furiously and padding at his shirt with her claws.

"That was an inspired move, Tosh. I don't know why I didn't think of it myself." He carefully placed the cat on the bed and Jupiter settled herself down at Ianto's side. Jack gently rubbed at her ears. "This is exactly what Ianto needs right now, thank you Tosh."

Toshiko moved to stand beside Jack she wrapped both her arms around one of his and rested her head against his shoulder. "You're most welcome Jack, and so is Ianto. I really miss him. I thought he would be better by now."

"Yeah, so did I. I had no real idea that he would become so ill. Sometimes I think we take everything for granted. So often, we face the dangers coming through the rift, but we never stopped to consider something like this and really it was an obvious possibility. I feel as though I have let him down."

Toshiko gently squeezed his arm. "You haven't let him down Jack. If it wasn't for you Ianto would have given up a long time ago." She stretched out her hand to pet Jupiter and giggled as a rough pink tongue glided over her fingertips.


	19. Chapter 19

**JUPITER PART 19**

It's a tough life when you are a cat. Jupiter was most put out by yet more disruption in her life. It was bad enough that her servant was not at home to help her with her new babies, but to be shoved in a cage and brought to this strange place was more inconvenience than a cat was willing to put up with. But when she realised she had been brought to her servant, her annoyance disappeared and changed to concern. Ianto was not his usual affectionate self. On being put down on the strange bed, Jupiter, immediately strolled over the covers and went to nudge Ianto's face. He didn't feel right. He didn't smell right, and there was an odd thing poking out of his mouth. Uncertain, Jupiter, rubbed his face across Ianto's cheek and began to purr to elicit a response from him. Her servant didn't stir, confused, Jupiter began to paddle at the blanket, her claws flexing in the soft fabric. She felt a hand against her back and arched into the contact and lifted her face to see the other one smiling down at her. This other one, being her servant's companion, who often took up space on her bed at home.

"You miss him too don't you, I know what it's like but don't worry, Jupiter, Ianto is tough. He will be okay."

Jupiter flexed her whiskers and licked at the warm fingers that rubbed around her chin. She wished she could understand what the servant's companion was saying, but it sounded comforting, and whilst she didn't like him sleeping on her bed, he always gave her lots of fuss and sometimes some treats. Eventually, she turned her attention back to her servant, who still seemed to be asleep once again she rubbed at his face and licked his nose, and still he did not stir. Disappointed, Jupiter settled herself down beside his head and purred.

Jack withdrew his hand and sighed. He had really hoped that Ianto would wake up, or at least open his eyes just a little bit but the Welshman didn't stir. He was aware of Tosh, standing at his side gently rubbing circles, against his back with her hand trying to be of comfort. He was entirely grateful for the contact. For her part, Toshiko did not know what else to do. She wanted to help Jack, and she wanted Ianto to wake up and get better. And there was nothing she could do to make either of those things happen. Ianto had been unconscious for days now and was showing no sign of waking up.

"Do you think it will be all right to leave Jupiter here for a little while?"

Jack reached round and grasped her hand. "Yeah, I think it would be a good idea, I'm pretty sure Ianto knows that she is here. And I know it will help him. I don't know what else we can do for him."

"Amir is still hopeful that Ianto will get better."

"Yes I know he is. Unfortunately we can't leave him like this for ever, and Owen is right. He probably should be in hospital, but I don't want to send him back to UNIT and we can't leave him in the hands of the NHS." In truth, Jack was at a loss for what to do for the better.

"Ianto is very strong, Jack. He will wake up."

_It was a weird the way the weather was Ianto always assumed that thunder would sound like rumbling, a deep bass sound, that would vibrate through his bones. This was more like an engine, but not. He knew he should understand what the noise was but it really made no sense. It was a lovely sound comforting in a way that he could not quite comprehend, almost familiar. Ianto considered the possibility that he was going a little bit mad, but that was ridiculous, because he was asleep. Well, not really asleep, probably more like in a coma. It was weird the way he understood that lots of things were weird right now. And that rumbling was one of them. It felt like a lullaby kind of thing you would hear as a child at bedtime after the last story of the day had been read. Ianto wondered perhaps, if he were on a plane, or maybe in a car travelling somewhere really nice like going on holiday, off to the beach or maybe to the park. There was something nostalgic about the sound and Ianto found himself drawn closer to it. He wanted to open his eyes so that he could look out of the windows and see the world fly by. It's what he always did as a kid, looking out of the window of the car as he travelled to somewhere exciting and exotic in his dreams. The reality had always been a caravan park in Tenby, but the thought was nice and Tenby wasn't such a bad place anyway. His childhood holidays were always looked upon with fondness, because he and Rhiannon always managed to have such fun, even when his parents could not. The comforting rumble was accompanied by a deep vibration that moved through his senses like a caress. He could feel light in his darkness and was dimly aware of a tightening in his chest. It was a sensation he knew he should be afraid of, but he wasn't all he wanted to do was reach out toward it and embrace it._

Ianto's eyelids fluttered open. He squeezed them tightly shut again and tried to suck in a deep breath that wouldn't come. He edged his eyes open again and blinked at the harsh light around him struggling to inhale. Water blurred his vision and his hands searched the air, and suddenly his fingers were gripped and his world was anchored by the soft tones of Jack's voice.

"Shsh, it's all right. It's all right Ianto."

Jack's face came into view and if Ianto could have smiled he would have been laughing with relief right then. It was at that moment he realised that the rumbling was in fact his cat purring, against his left ear. Suddenly he wanted to cry, and he realised that Jack was crying for him.

It took some time to get Ianto stabilised after they removed the ventilator. Jack fussed and flapped until such time as Owen was finally satisfied that Ianto could breathe unaided. The medic was very tempted to get cross with his boss but Amir convinced the Londoner, not to lose his temper with Jack. Once Owen was convinced that Ianto was finally settled in, both he and Amir left deciding to give the two men some space. Ianto was sleeping peacefully, with the cat on his lap and one of his hands grasped tightly in both of Jack's. Toshiko was the last one to leave, and after giving Jack a kiss on the cheek and Ianto a kiss on the forehead, she departed with a happy smile on her face. Gwen was just pleased to see the back of the nurses. Even so, she was not very happy about having to retcon them. Once they had been put on the train she returned to the hub to find her colleagues dishing out pizza and glasses of wine to celebrate Ianto's recovery, even though Jack was still down in the iso lab with her fellow countryman. It was unlikely that Jack would leave his side unless there was an emergency so she ventured down with a plate of pizza slices and a glass of wine to give to Jack. When she stepped into the lab, she discovered Jack had fallen asleep with his head nestled against Ianto's side and the cat snuggled between them. Unable to resist she took out her mobile phone and snapped a picture.


	20. Chapter 20

**JUPITER PART 20**

Ianto examined himself in the mirror. He carefully ran his hands over the scarring, across his chest and over his right shoulder. Although the wounds had finally healed the resulting marks on his skin were knotted and ugly and he hated looking at them. Before this Jack had regularly complemented him on his beautiful body, but Ianto was wholly conscious that that was no longer the case. Not because Jack had stopped complimenting him. He just didn't like what he saw and he found it difficult to remove his closing in Jack's presence. After all Jack was a veritable Adonis and Ianto had always felt that he was nothing special even before he had been injured. Now he just found himself shying away from physical contact, and from Jack's affection.

It had been four weeks since he had regained consciousness and two of those weeks had involved remaining confined to the hub while he recovered. It was tedious and Ianto had been fed up with the slow recovery, and the fact that even now he still felt tired and unable to do the things that he wanted to do or that he normally would do. During all of this time, Jack had been attentive and very supportive and Ianto had found himself feeling more and more self-conscious as time went on.

Unhappily, Ianto padded through to his bedroom to get dressed. He selected a pale blue shirt and dark grey tie, and then pulled out a charcoal suit from his wardrobe. It wasn't his most flamboyant of outfits, Ianto didn't feel much like wearing anything colourful any more. He knew that Jack preferred his brighter coloured shirts and Ianto steadfastly avoided them opting to tone himself down in the hopes that he would fade into the background. He turned back to his bed and scowled when he realised that Jupiter had settled herself upon his clean shirt and looked very much like she wasn't going to move. The orange stripey cat eyed him shrewdly almost challenging him to shift her from her place. Ianto glowered at her.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Jupiter merely blinked at him, and then began to wash her feet. Ianto draped the suit over the back of the chair and returned his attention to the wardrobe to select another shirt. He finally settled on a navy blue one and a dark purple tie. He dressed in silence, aware of the cat watching him as he moved.

"Is this more to your liking? Would you like me to do a pirrouette? And don't give me that superior look."

Ianto's cat looked faintly unimpressed and the Welshman finally smiled and gently rubbed her head. It was very strange seeing her without her kittens. But now they had all been homed Jupiter seemed considerably more relaxed and back to her old purring self. Ianto had made an appointment at the vet's, to have her neutered next week, the last thing he wanted was another batch of kittens to have to say goodbye to. As promised, Gwen had taken pancake as a gift for her niece and Dr Amir had also taken one away with him when he finally went home. The other three kittens had been advertised in the paper, and one by one they all went to different homes. Ianto had been very sorry to see them go.

He straightened out his tie and put on his waistcoat and with shaking hands buttoned it up, his right hand still had limited function and Owen had warned him it would be some time before full strength returned to his right arm. Ianto tried his best not to get annoyed with it because he hated being incapacitated, especially when Jack was being fussy and trying to help. That had led to two or three arguments over recent days, and Ianto knew he was being silly, and probably somewhat childish. But he just couldn't help it, and he realised it was as much to do with his lack of confidence in his relationship with Jack, as it was with the lack of confidence in himself. Ianto just wasn't used to people trying to help him, and hadn't been mothered by anybody for years, it just felt weird. The only problem was Jack had finally taken offence to the apparent rejection from Ianto. As Ianto pulled on his jacket he realised he had to apologise to Jack for being such an idiot and he just hoped that Jack would understand. Their relationship was fragile at best, and Ianto understood that he may have just damaged it beyond repair. His outfit complete, he turned to face his cat.

"You think this will do? I'm such an idiot, Jupiter. What do I say to him? Oh well, I guess I better get to work and face the music."

TWTWTWTWTW

Jack glanced up from its paperwork when he heard the cog door open. A smile dropped away from his face when he realised that it wasn't Ianto. The last thing he needed was for Owen to see him smiling. It would lead to all kinds of sarcasm, and Jack was quite sure he wasn't in the mood for that. He was feeling thoroughly unsettled after the late-night argument with Ianto, and he hoped that his yelling had not deterred the young Welshman from coming into work today. There was no doubt that he was hurt by what Ianto had said. He also realised that perhaps he had overdone the fussing, but he had been very worried and wasn't he supposed to fuss? Jack had no idea he actually believed that he and Ianto were in a relationship of some kind, but perhaps Ianto didn't feel the same way and that was why he had been rejected. Jack didn't know what to think, he was hurt and he was angry, but he was also very worried about Ianto's well-being. The Welshman had gone quiet again, and Jack didn't understand why, although he knew Ianto was upset about his scars. He couldn't believe that this was the only reason for Ianto's behaviour. It had been a difficult few weeks for the whole team and Ianto didn't seem to recognise that.

Jack surveyed his desk and caught sight of his empty coffee mug, and then glanced at his watch. Ianto was long overdue. He was very tempted to ring the younger man to find out where he was but Jack thought the better of it knowing it would only put Ianto in a bad mood if he thought Jack was being overprotective. No sooner had that thought crossed his mind than the young man himself entered the hub. Jack resisted getting straight to his feet and waited patiently for Ianto to come into his office as he usually did to collect his mug. Ten minutes later, and Jack wasn't disappointed. He noticed Ianto's eyes roam over the mess strewn across his desk and couldn't help but smile at the deepening frown that appeared across his brow. Their gazes met.

"Have you been in my archives?" Ianto's tone was somewhat disbelieving and sounded rather girly to Jack's ears. He grinned wickedly and Ianto did not look impressed.

"I had to find some files. Late last night, and you weren't here. So I decided to go and look for them myself. Sorry, I know I made a bit of a mess, but you know how it is."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Coffee?"

Jack nodded, somewhat relieved, he handed over his mug. "I'd love one please and bring yours with you too, I think we need to talk."

Ianto took the mug. "Yes, I think we do. Just give me a few minutes Jack." He turned and left the office his back ramrod straight, and Jack sighed, at his departure. He had the feeling that this would not go well.

It wasn't long before his refilled mug was placed on his desk along with a couple of chocolate biscuits. Ianto sat in the chair opposite, a mug of tea in his own hands. The two men looked at one another for a long, quiet, contemplative moment and finally, it was Ianto that broke the silence.

"I've been a bit of a cow lately, haven't I?"

Jack leaned back in his chair, his coffee mug in his hands.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I'm really sorry, especially about what I said last night. I was out of order, and I had no right to say the things that I did." Ianto took a sip of his tea.

"I just don't know what I've done wrong." Jack stated.

Ianto shrugged. "You haven't done anything wrong, Jack. It's just me, I guess I haven't handled this very well. You know, after all that stuff, I went through at Canary Wharf, physically, it never left a mark on me. And then some stupid weevil comes along, and tares a gaping great hole in my shoulder. Every time I have a shower, when I look in the mirror each morning, there's these bloody great scars, and I hate them. I just can't stand to look at them. It's pathetic I know. I just feel, to be honest I'm not really sure."

Jack was gaping at him. "You can't be serious, if that's what this is all about? You're getting pissy with me, because of that? What, you think a few scars should be an issue? Ianto, do you know what I see when I look at you each day?"

Unable to meet his look, Ianto merely shook his head.

"I see a beautiful, young, courageous and compassionate man. I see someone who has suffered so much and is still brave enough to get out of bed each day and face the world and everything that it can throw at him. I also see when you smile, not that you smile nearly enough, but it is wonderful to behold. The scars do not detract from your beauty, if anything, they show me how strong you are, and remind me of how much I need to treasure you."

**AN: One final chapter to go… and if this hasn't been the hardest thing to write ever… guess fluff isn't my thing, need to get back to the grim, dark stuff I think. Thanks for reading and taking the time to review. Deeta.**


	21. Chapter 21

**JUPITER ...FINAL**

Ianto knew he was in the doghouse, more accurately in the cat house, because dog was definitely a swear word that would not be tolerated within the walls of his flat. It wasn't that Ianto had anything against dogs not really but Jupiter most certainly did. Right now, it was pretty irrelevant. Ianto was in trouble, and his ginger cat was not going to let him forget it in a hurry. Ianto didn't like having to take his cat to the vet, because it was a tortuous affair, and usually left him very scarred and bleeding. It also made a serious dent in his wallet every time he stepped through those shiny glass doors, cat carrier in hand and a lovely Karen to cater to Jupiter's every whim. Ianto paused in his thoughts, contemplating Karen and her soft Welsh accent and lovely dark eyes. He still couldn't believe that she had asked him out all those weeks ago and he had turned her down.

Jupiter was glaring at him from her place on the couch, her shaved belly and neat row of stitches plainly evident for all to see. Ianto was well aware of what she was trying to do, showing everybody just how pissed off she was. Ianto bustled about the lounge, tidying up and getting things ready for when Jack arrived. They had arranged to have dinner together that evening, and Ianto was running a little bit late, because he had got stuck in traffic on the way home from collecting his cat from the vet. The journey home had been punctuated by strident yowling and plaintive mewling from inside the cat carrier. At first Ianto was very concerned. But then he realised that Jupiter was yanking his chain, because she had been left all day at the vet and come home with half a dozen stitches and a distinct absence of her female reproductive organs. These things were very disconcerting for a cat especially when nobody consulted her beforehand.

Jupiter watched her servant from her place on the couch, he was clearly flustered and while she took a certain degree of pleasure in this she had to be honest with herself and admit that she was pleased he was home after his long absence. She got down to the business of washing her feet, her fur tasted funny and her pads smelt very strange. Her tummy was rather sore and after a few careful licks of her toes she settled her head down and went to sleep.

Ianto paused as he adjusted the cushion at the end of the sofa, he glanced at the sleeping leviathan and smiled to himself. He couldn't imagine his flat without a cat, without this cat anyway. Jupiter has become like a child to him, and Ianto was absolutely certain that he would never be able to part with her. The responsibility of keeping her worried him at times, because of his long days at work. He knew he should spend more time at home, and maybe this was something he needed to talk to Jack about. Ianto considered the possibility that Jack would laugh in his face, but Jack was just as fond of the cat as he was. On hearing a key in his front door Ianto straightened up and went to meet Jack who was in the hallway shucking off his coat and hanging it up. Ianto leant against the wall and watched as Jack pulled off his boots and set them neatly beside his shoes. Jack offered up a wide grin.

"So how's the cat?"

Ianto shook his head. "The cat is just fine. Thank you very much, though I would be very careful about sitting next to her on the couch, because she's really grumpy. Not that I blame her, can't say I'd like to be neutered myself." Jack's smile got much wider. "I wouldn't want you neutered either. I can't smell coffee, why can't I smell coffee?"

Ianto rolled his eyes with exasperation. "I've only been back a few minutes it took ages to collect Jupiter, and I haven't had time to start on dinner or make coffee. So, if you start on the dinner I can get the coffee on, how does that sound?"

"I like the way you're thinking, Ianto Jones. What were you planning on cooking anyway?"

"There's plenty of choice in the fridge. You can decide. Just make sure you cook a little extra for Jupiter, because I think she feels that she needs a little tender loving care. You know, what cats are like. The only thing more demanding than a cat is you."

Jack stepped forward and rested his hands on Ianto's hips, gently pulling the younger man toward him. "Was that a complaint?"

Ianto, met his look and smiled in return. "Harassment suit on standby sir."

**AN: Ok, that's that one done….. I was tempted to go deep and sad on you all but I thought you might get cross with me if I did…. So Ianto and cat are intact and live to fight and purr another day. THANK YOU.**


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